Forgotten
by Hotaru-hime
Summary: Mina POV. For love, he declared war against God. For love, he declared war against mankind. What would he do if he ever lost her again?
1. Part 1

Castlevania is the property of Konami and they own the characters. I own the original characters in this story. This is obviously based on the Sorrow games with elements from previous Castlevania games and this takes place a few years after Dawn of Sorrow.

Forgotten

_I had not meant to take the book without my father's consent. But I craved knowledge and wanted to learn what my father found so interesting in such a print._

_I knew it was a coarse translation from its original Italian text, but I didn't yet know Italian though I would like to learn. But I knew my father would be most displeased at such a prospect, his daughter learning (and even knowing how to read) and so I kept my wishes to myself._

_I chose a quiet recluse outside of town, a soft bed of grass under a tree on a beautiful sunny day. I flipped open the pages, allowing my eyes to adjust to the crude cursive, and read quietly to myself._

"_**Come on now little man, get away from your worldly occupations for a while, escape from your tumultuous thoughts. Lay aside your burdensome cares and put off your laborious exertions. Give yourself over to God for a little while, and rest for a while in Him. Enter into the cell of your mind, shut out everything except God and whatever helps you—"**_

"_Milady?"_

_I started so suddenly at the interruption that I dropped the book. It fell mutely in my lap and slapped shut._

_The soft, masculine chuckle caused my heart to start racing. I turned my head to the new presence, struggling to keep my voice steady. "G-Good morrow, Lord Cronqvist."_

"_Good morrow, Milady." He had such a handsome smile. I felt heat on my cheeks and quickly adverted my eyes. "May I ask what brings you to this fair abode when many other gentlewomen have gathered in the town square?"_

_His straight-forward and somewhat personal speech took me off-guard. Perhaps it was in his kind demeanor, or perhaps in my own shame, but I feel I could not speak falsely to him. "It was my wish…" I faltered, feeling my embarrassment grow. "To seek solace and…read." I held my breath, waiting for his mockery or disproval._

"_Ah, one of his lordships logs?" He drew closer to me. My heart began pounding more strongly with each step he took. "And what might this volume be titled?"_

"_Proslogion, by the monk Anselm."_

"_Ah, what a fine volume this is!!" He was now standing over me. Well, not very close but a friendly closeness. He knelt down so that he was eye-level with me. "I didn't know you knew Italian, Milady."_

"_N-Nay, I do not," I said quickly, ducking my head. "M-My father had his volume translated. This is…such."_

"_I see. I didn't know his lordship taught milady literacy."_

"_H-He didn't!!" I blurted out before I could stop myself. "I-I learned on my own!! And I…I took this from him without his knowledge!! Oh, Milord, please do not tell him what I've done!!! He would be most displeased with me!!"_

_He stared at me for a long moment in silence. My embarrassment grew stronger and the urge to leave quickly grew with it. Oh, what must he think of me now? I acted without my father's knowledge and permission, and those weren't very noble traits._

_Oddly though, he didn't seem displeased by my words or actions. His smile only grew wider and he shook his head slightly. "I should see no problem with the desire for knowledge. And to be able to teach yourself to read only warrants more praises on Milady's behalf."_

_So he wouldn't tell my father. I was flooded with relief and overcome with another emotion. One that only added to my embarrassment. "Thank you, Lord Cronqvist."_

"_This is a fine volume to read. I myself have taken many pleasures with such indulgence." Before I could react, he reached over and picked up the book straight from my lap. I couldn't help but flinch from such close contact and adverted my eyes again. If he noticed my reaction, he gave no inclination of such. "Language feeds the knowledge of man and helps to heighten our awareness."_

_He flipped open the book to a specific page. I watched him shyly, not sure of what he was doing. I had read very little of Proslogion and so I did not know all that the book detailed._

"_This passage is my favorite," he said finally. He glanced at me briefly. "Might I read it for you?"_

"_O-Of course."_

_He glanced back at the book. __**"How in the world could he have said in his heart what he could not think? Or how indeed could he not have thought what he said in his heart, since saying it in his heart is the same as thinking it? But if he really thought it because he said it in his heart, and did not say it in his heart because he could not possibly have thought it - and that seems to be precisely what happened - then there must be more than one way in which something can be said in one's heart or thought. For a thing is thought in one way when the words signifying it are thought, and it is thought in quite another way when the thing signified is understood."**_

_I knew he was reciting the proof of existence of God; that was the purpose of this volume, after all. But the way he recited the words to me did not seem to match the true meaning of the words. I stared at him as he spoke, and his eyes kept wandering to me between words. I simply sat there and watched him read, hanging onto each word._

_Finally, he closed the book and handed it to me. "If the Lady likes, I might lend you some volumes of my own."_

"_W-Would you really do that, Lord Cronqvist?" I cried, overcome with joy._

"_Would I make such an offer if I didn't intend on following through?" He smiled once more at me and my joy grew stronger._

"_T-Thank you," I stammered, bowing my head. "You are very kind, sir. You promise not to tell on me to my father, and you offer me your own books to read. I don't know how to repay you."_

"_I don't expect to give them away for free."_

_I looked back up at him, a measure of my joy diminishing. "Oh? I-I see. And how might I pay you for this, Lord Cronqvist?"_

_He seemed to give my question a lot of thought. After a long moment of silence his handsome smile grew wider. "If I might be able to converse with you again, that would be more than payment for the books."_

_I was taken aback by his simple offer, no matter how happy it made me. "I would be pleased to, but my father must—"_

"_His lordship doesn't know you read his volumes. I don't see why he would need to know that we speak civilly, do you?"_

_He brought up a good point. Father would be furious if he knew I was alone with a man without his consent or knowledge, but I knew Lord Cronqvist to be a good man in merit and in spirit. We were speaking freely for the very first time, but I felt…I _knew _somehow I could trust in him._

"_I agree," I said finally, returning his smile. "I don't believe meeting like this would dishonor my father in any way."_

"_Very well then," he said, slowly rising to his feet. "Might I see you tomorrow? I have a book in mind just for you; __Gesta Normannorum Ducum."_

_I quickly nodded and smiled at him. "That would be fine."_

_---_

New Years Eve. I knew how important the day was, even as I opened my eyes to a pitch black room. I rolled over onto my side to glance at my alarm clock. 5:35, in bright red numbers, glared back at me.

And, unfortunately, I couldn't go back to sleep. Not without a lack of trying though, but because I had a _lot _of work to do.

I got changed relatively quickly. I pulled on a pair of grey sweatpants and a tan-colored sweater before I left my room.

The cleaning of the shrine was almost complete, but I knew I still had a lot of work to do. By this time tomorrow, and in the days that followed, the Hakuba Shrine would be flooded with people like every other year.

The workload was only that much harder on me this year because it's the first year I would be doing it alone. Just yesterday, both of my parents were called out all the way out to Niigata to handle an incident involving exorcism. It seemed like a severe enough case, considering neither my mom nor dad would be back by the 2nd. I'd watched the shrine alone before, but not on _New Years_. It was going to be tough.

_Suck it up, Mina_, I suddenly scolded myself, quickly shaking my head. _You're twenty-one years old. This work, although challenging, is nothing compared to what other people are doing right now. Mom, Dad, and most of all…Soma._

Thinking about Soma—more so, thinking about the amount of work he had—increased my drive. He really was working harder than I was, even right at that moment. Even so he took time out of his busy schedule to contact me a lot, whether by phone or email or even postage.

I stop mid step on the stairs and looked towards the small table near the front door. A pile of yesterday's mail was still sitting there with a nice postcard on top. I'd nearly forgotten about it in my sudden change in schedule. I couldn't resist a smile as I walked down the remaining steps to the pile and picked up the postcard. A cute sheep was on the front, signifying the animal representing the New Year, and a simple New Year's stamp. I turned it over to read what I'd barely had time to read yesterday.

_Mina,_

_I'm sorry I won't be in Japan for New Years. Arikado-san and myself are holed up in a situation involving some…colorful characters. But I plan on being home by the end of January, so I'll tell you more about it._

_I keep forgetting to mention this on the phone, but thanks for the __Nian Gao. Eating them made me a bit homesick, but it was pretty funny to see Arikado-san's face when he bit into one!! I plan on buying you something more than this postcard, so have a lot of ideas when I come back. My New Year won't be full of a lot of celebrating, but at least you won't be by yourself, right?_

_Anyways, have a Happy New Year and take care of yourself._

Soma

I couldn't help but smile, much like anything related to Soma. I tucked the postcard into my pocket and began my cleaning. I'd scrubbed most of the floors and wall spotless, and thankfully the shoji screens were clean enough that most of the doors didn't require replacements.

Still, when eight o'clock came along I was exhausted. I dropped a pile of boxes on the floor of the linen closet and kicked the door shut, trying to catch my breath.

"This is too much," I complained to nobody in particular, wiping hair out of my face.

A stab of panic shot through me as my hand reached the back of my head. I was so surprised by the feeling and rubbed the back of my neck nervously. I went into the bathroom and looked at my reflection. I looked no difference than I usually did. My red hair was short as it'd been for years, my eyes were still brown, and my face was still my face.

What was that feeling then? I idly ran a hand through my hair again, fingers playing with the end strands. My stomach did flip flops and I made a face at my reflection. Maybe…it was my hair. The feeling started when I touched it. It was almost like I expected it to be_ longer_.

The phone suddenly rang, interrupting my confusion. I left the bathroom and ran to answer it. The caller I.D. said 'Out of Area'.

_Soma!! _I quickly turned it on. "Hello, Hakuba Shrine!!"

There was dead air on the other line. I couldn't even hear anyone breathe. "Um, hello? Is anyone there?" I hazard a chance. "Soma? Is that you?"

A hiss answered me, taking me off-guard. I shook off the feeling as best as I could. "Who is this?"

"Are you ringing in the New Year alone, missus?" I didn't recognize the voice. It was definitely a man's voice, but very deep and…strange. I didn't know how to describe it.

"Of course not," I lied smoothly, feeling unnerved by the odd question.

"......I see. Sorry I disturb you." The line disconnected.

I slowly hung up the phone. What a weird phone call!! Who would prank a _shrine_?!

"Oh well," I murmured, shaking off the funny feeling. I still had a lot of cleaning and shrine patrons were bound to pop up at any-odd moment of the day.


	2. Part 2

Part 2

I was finished with all the cleaning by the time noon rolled along, and I was incredibly hungry. I didn't feel like cooking anything and so I decided to eat somewhere in town. I had to do a little bit of shopping anyways, so there was no problem overall.

I changed out of my cleaning outfit into a red sweater and a black short skirt. Yeah, it wasn't smart to wear a skirt when it was so cold out, but I didn't really care. I made sure to take Soma's postcard out of my sweatpants and tucked it into my purse when I left.

I got a simple meal at McDonalds, but even though I was very hungry it ended up going to waste as I only chewed on a few French fries and stared off into space. The restaurant was full of people, families and couples, each of whom were excited about the New Year. Whereas _I _was sitting alone and stuck with meeting the New Year alone.

I pulled out Soma's postcard and reread it as I ate. It was ironic that I was eating French fries when his latest assignment came out of France. But that was quite a while ago. For all I knew, he might've been drawn out of the country following that weird group Arikado and him were trying to take care of.

_I hope he's all right, _I mused to myself for no doubt the millionth time. _I hope he can celebrate the New Year peacefully. France is behind Japan by a few hours, right? Hopefully he can have SOME fun._

I didn't want to think about Soma anymore because I started to miss him greatly. I threw out my half-eaten lunch and started to leave. As I pushed open the exit door, the hairs on the back of my neck started to stand on end. I looked over my shoulder at the other patrons in the restaurant. Nobody seemed to be looking at me, all just absorbed in their own conversations.

But…it'd felt like somebody had been watching me.

_It's nothing, _I told myself, shaking my head and leaving McDonald's. _This is out in public. Somebody's bound to look at you somehow. It's no big deal._

I shook off the uneasy feeling as best as I could and headed for the grocery store. There wasn't much for me to buy, outside of some simple dinner materials and more making for the _Nian Gao_. I'd avoided making the ones I'd made for Soma too sweet, but I didn't want to hold back for the ones I made for myself.

Unfortunately, as I grabbed a basket and did my shopping, the feeling returned. It felt like somebody was watching me again. More so…it felt like somebody was following me. Every so often I glanced up and looked around me, but I didn't see anybody suspicious. The store was very busy because it would be closed over the New Year's holiday, but none of the other customers gave me a second glance. It was strange. What was going on?

I tried not to let my concern show as I shopped, saying 'hello' to a few people I knew. I near the meat section and something caught my eye. It was a perfectly good piece of tuna, priced at 1,100 yen.

_Ooh, lucky!! _I quickly picked up the container and looked at the tuna steak closely. I was briefly suspicious as to why something marked so low hadn't sold yet, but it looked fine to me. I looked at the other tuna in the case, each also marked down, and saw a sign indicating that it was a New Year sale.

Feeling marginally better, I put the tuna into my basket. As I turned my head away from the glass case though, something caught my eye. I saw my own reflection in the glass, but I saw a pair of silver, dangerous eyes right behind me!!

"Oh!!!" I cried, spinning around. But nobody with silver eyes was behind me. Nobody at _all _was behind me. I raised a hand to my head in confusion. _Am I seeing things?_

"Are you all right, Miss?" a salesclerk approached me, looking worried.

I quickly nodded, forcing a smile at her. "Yes, thank you. I was just startled, that's all."

The salesclerk nodded. "All right, then."

I quickly finished shopping and went through checkout. I kept looking around for someone suspicious with those eyes, but I didn't spot anybody. I was just surrounded by customers wanting to shop quickly and get home.

_You're just tired from the lack of sleep and all the cleaning. Just get home and relax for the day._

---

The phone was ringing off the hook as I got through the front door. I jerked my boots off and left the groceries in the entryway as I ran to answer it. I checked the caller I.D. and happily answered the phone. "Hi, Mom!!"

"Mina, where have you been? I've been trying to call for an hour!!"

"Oh, I just did a little bit of shopping," I responded, gathering up the groceries. I didn't like the tone of her voice. "Is something wrong?"

"…No, nothing's wrong," Mom quickly answered. "I'm just a little tired. This exorcism is taking longer than your father and I thought. We might be here beyond the original deadline."

"What?!" I exclaimed, dropping the groceries on the counter. "That's terrible!! Are you sure everything's okay?!"

"Yes, everything's okay with _us._"

I didn't like her evasive tone. "Mom, tell me what's the matter." I started putting the groceries away.

Mom was silent for a very long minute. "Has everything been all right with you?"

"C'mon Mom, don't change the subject!!"

"I'm not, Mina."

I realized what she meant and felt uneasy. I tried to remain calm as I answered her. "I don't understand."

"Has everything been okay with you?"

"Of course it has!! Just today I bought a nice piece of tuna for 1,100 yen!! And all the shrine work is done!!"

"…That's good to hear." Mom sounded genuinely relieved, and that made me feel a little scared. "Just be careful, okay? I swear we'll be home in a few days, but don't do anything reckless."

"When have I ever, Mom?"

"Just please listen to me."

"All right, all right. I'll hang around the shrine."

"Good, I'm glad to hear that."

We said our goodbyes and I hung up. But Mom's words made me feel worse than I had before. What was with all the warnings? Sure, I've been involved in several incidents involving the supernatural, but it wasn't like I was any real danger at those times. Well, maybe a _little_ danger, but I was never hurt.

"_Has everything been all right with you?"_

I knew it was the supernatural threats that Mom had been referring to when she asked that question, though I claimed ignorance. And I hadn't told her the truth. At all.

_That weird prank call. Feeling like somebody was watching and following me in town. Those silver eyes. The weird dreams I've been having…_

I quickly shook my head. No, there was nothing odd about _dreams. _I'd always had weird dreams. Everyone did. It was no big deal.

"Hello!!!"

I heard the call from outside. I quickly put the seafood in the fridge and rush for the front door. I opened it to see a couple standing in the shrine courtyard.

"Hello," the man greeted, bowing to her slightly. "Is the shrine priest here?"

"I-I'm sorry," I greeted, stepping outside and closing the front door behind me. "He was called away for an emergency. I will assist your needs in his place."

"That sounds fair," said the woman cheerfully. "You see, we have to hop on an airplane in three hours for a business trip. Can we do our first shrine visit now?"

I stammered a bit embarrassedly before I answered. "I-I don't see why not." _I'm not ready, but this is just one couple._

I allowed them to say their prayers and brought them to a shrine booth so that they might have their fortunes drawn. Thankfully Dad had organized the booth before he left so it was nice and clean for the patrons. The couple looked too young to be married, but they were very obviously in love. The woman held onto the man's arm the whole time and the smiles never left their faces. The woman kept giggling and smiling up to him and he seemed just as giddy. As they got their fortunes, they compared their results with loud laughter.

Watching them made me feel a little jealous. They may have been older than me, but not much older. I'd seen other couples like them in town, and some of them _were _younger than me. And I was alone, at the shrine, while others had their own business to attend to.

_Soma…_I bit my lip and kept my face expressionless, but it didn't lessen the hurt any. _I really miss you…are you all right? Are you eating well and getting enough rest?_

Thankfully, the couple didn't dawdle longer and went on their way to catch their flight. I took several deep breaths to control my emotions and went inside the house. I wished Soma would call me, but I kept myself distracted by taking care of dinner and the _Nian Gao._

---

I should've expected it, but that couple wasn't the last of the early shrine-goers. I was constantly interrupted through my preparations to tend to the needs of shrine patrons who wanted to avoid the massive crowds that would be there tomorrow. The majority of them were couples and families with young children. All of them were happy and talking excitedly about the New Year. Though I was happy for them, it only made me miss Soma more. Sure, I missed my parents as well, but at least I had easy contact with them. But Soma…thinking about how little responsibility I had compared to him, thinking about how he might be fighting for his life at that very moment…it was almost too much.

But, as the new hour drew nearer and the shrine-goers came and went, there were a handful I felt I couldn't easily turn away. About five or six of them were all by themselves, celebrating the New Year alone and they were no doubt drawn to cheerful atmosphere of the shrine. Most of them spoke very little, choosing instead to listen to the happy chatter of others with wistful expressions.

I couldn't help myself. I invited them to stay and even offered them some if the _Nian Gao _I'd made. They seemed happy by my offer and that in turn made me feel better about my own turmoil. I don't know, but it was something in me that just _couldn't _let them meet the New Year alone, with reminders of what little they might face in the new year.

I was happy for the company, though. I didn't know them at all and it felt strange to share a holiday like this, but it was better than being alone.

"One more minute!!" one yelled. We had poppers and the like ready. Everyone started counting from the 60-second mark. I couldn't help but laugh, even though I joined them for the final ten seconds.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!" everyone screamed, firing off the poppers and blowing party horns, both of which were covered in sheep.

"Happy 2039!!!!" someone hollered, blowing on his horn with all his might.

_2039_…I looked up at the full moon. _It's already been four years since Soma and I were trapped in that solar eclipse…_

This only made me miss Soma all over again, and so I stopped that line of thought.

This continued until about two in the morning, when everyone began to disperse. They seemed to be in much higher spirits than when they'd first arrived, but once they left I was alone again in the house. There wasn't much else for me to do now, but my thoughts kept wandering. Most particularly to Soma.

"The hell with it," I muttered to myself. I ran upstairs to my room and retrieved my cell phone. Japan had different cell phone frequencies than most of the world, but Soma always carried a Japanese cell phone so that we might talk. "Might" being the key word because we rarely talked over the phone. Even so, I wanted to talk to him and hear his voice.

_He's eight hours behind me, so it should be the middle of the day there. I won't be disturbing him at all. I hope._

Unfortunately, I didn't get what I was hoping for. His phone went immediately to voice mail, showing that it was off. _"This is Soma. Please leave your message after the beep."_ It was an incredibly simple message to avoid any problems, but it still felt great to hear his voice.

The 'beep' came, but I found I didn't know what to say. I couldn't nag at him, obviously. And if I told him how much I missed him, he might not feel too good. What could I do?

I took a deep breath and winged it. "Hi, Soma!!! It's a brand new year here in Japan, so I was checking on how you were doing!! I got your postcard and don't worry; I already have _quite _a few ideas to give you for a proper present!!" I managed a laugh as I said this. "Also…don't stress yourself out too much. No matter how much work you have, don't forget to eat right and get plenty of sleep. I'll be upset with you if you get yourself sick!!

"Just…take care of yourself. You have a lot of responsibility, but don't forget about all your friends. And I…I'm obviously your friend, too. I won't forgive you if you get hurt before getting me my gift!!

"Well, I won't bore you anymore. You have a very Happy New Year and I can't wait to see you!!" I closed my phone and took a deep breath.

_I love you._ I almost said it. I _wanted _to say it, but it was so embarrassing!! How would Soma react to a love confession?! I knew he cared for me; everyone always told me so, after all. But I'd rather not put him on the spot with a sudden love confession, especially with all the work he had to do.

Not that it really mattered. He wasn't there with me and so neither of us had to worry about the consequences of a love confession…for the moment.

---

"_**In this state of disturbance, while Mars was raging and numerous troops of warriors were being killed, Hugh of Montfort fought against Walkelin; both fell in the battle. Not long afterwards, when the madness of certain persons...belched?" **__I felt my brow furrow with confusion. "Am I reciting this correctly?" I looked up from the volume of __Gesta Normannorum Ducum in my lap. "__Lord Cronqvist, I—"_

_My voice trailed off. Lord Cronqvist was not listening to me. He had fallen asleep in the chair he'd taken across from me. I had met and joined him to read of his volumes, but the lord had invited me into his home to take of them. A lady being welcomed without an escort would cause for controversy, but I knew Lord Cronqvist would never mean me harm. He gave me one of his volumes and asked that I read it aloud to him, asking that he see my level of literacy._

_But now he was asleep in his seat. Did my words bore him? No, it didn't seem that way. There were unfriendly lines driven into his face and dark circles under his eyes. He seemed very tired, but I didn't dare think my words lulled him._

_He was the host, and yet he'd fallen asleep right in front of me. But I couldn't bring myself to feel offended. I laugh quietly but then corrected myself, feeling ashamed of laughing at his disposition. But I could not deny I enjoyed his company, awake or asleep._

---

I jerked awake with confusion, rubbing my eyes. When did I fall asleep? I must've been very tired.

My eyes drifted to the window. It didn't look as dark as it'd been earlier. _Wait…is it morning?!_

I grabbed my alarm clock. 4:57. Panic began to well inside of me and I shot from the bed. I glanced out the window and to my immense relief I saw that the sun hadn't risen yet. I let out the breath I'd been holding, but still hurried to get ready.

More than anything, I hadn't wanted to miss the first sunrise of the year.

I got into warm, comfortable clothing and quickly brewed some tea, which I poured into a coffee cylinder. I grabbed an old blanket and bundled up as I ran outside. It was as cold as I expected; colder, even. Thankfully I'd had enough sense to set up the latter ahead of time and climbed to the roof. I feared the worst when I got to the top and I faced it; the shingles were covered with frost and thin ice. I walked across them carefully and laid out the blanket. I took my seat and sighed heavily as I noted that the sun still hadn't risen.

_Be more careful next time, _I ordered myself, sipping some tea. _Well…Mom and Dad always made sure we met the sunrise each year, so this was an easy mistake._

The Hakuba Shrine was on a large hill overlooking Tokyo. So I had the pleasure of viewing the horizon without any skyscrapers to get in my way. Sunrises were always so simple, but I felt giddy as I sat there patiently waiting.

Something caught my eye, though; as I watched the sky turn light pink. Overthe horizon I saw a thin line of…something moving back and forth, as though it were flying.

_An eagle? _I wondered with mild excitement. I almost never saw eagles in the Tokyo area. But the flying bird began to draw closer and it didn't seem like an eagle. It almost looked too large to be one, but it was still too far away to tell.

It almost seemed like it was flying towards _me, _but that couldn't be true.

I decided to ignore it and focused on the impending sunrise. Unfortunately, the bird _did _seem to get closer to me, even flying in my field of vision. Now I could see that it looked very large for a bird. I could see that it was white with a massive wingspan, and I thought of a crane or an egret. But it flew closer and closer and it became bigger and bigger and I knew then it wasn't either bird. After all, what kind of a crane or egret had horns?

Wait…HORNS?!

I rose to my feet slowly, my heart slamming against the wall of my chest. Horns…yes, that _thing _had horns. And its head wasn't even in the shape of a bird's head. And it was very big, and…bony.

No…I knew what that thing was. But it wasn't possible, was it?

"_Damn!! Protect the girl!!"_

A whimper escaped mouth and I clasped a hand over it. This didn't make sense. But that thing…the ugly face, the bony body…the skeletal body…

"_YAAAAAAAAH!! Go back to where you came from!!!"_

Soma had called them the 'winged skeleton'. But what was it doing out here?!

It seemed to know I was staring at it, but it didn't seem to care. Suddenly, it let out a loud, hideous roar. Soon it wasn't flying so leisurely anymore. It was flying very fast, waving his bony spear wildly.

Most of all, it was flying at ME.

I didn't know what to do. I started hyperventilating and looked around frantically for an escape. It roared again, and it sounded dangerously close by. I looked up again and involuntarily shrieked in fright. It was no longer flying at me. Now it was flying RIGHT OVER ME!!!!

It seemed to laugh throatily at my scream. It pointed its spear at me and flew down fast at me. It was trying to _kill _me!!!

I jumped backwards frantically to avoid the blow, but I ended up jumping off the blanket. Even with boots on, my feet slipped on the icy shingles and I fell, slamming down hard. I tumbled over the blanket, unable to control my balance, and I soon found myself sliding quickly down the roof.

_No no NOOOO!!!_ I screamed as loudly as I could, frantically trying to hook my fingers into something that would stop me. But my hands only slipped on the frozen surface as I neared the edge. I saw the ladder down this and for a brief moment I felt hope. I reached out for it with one hand while the other still tried to find a grip.

But the ladder would be of no help to me. Though I finally found a grip on the rain gutter, my body still launched over the side of the roof. The force of it knocked the ladder clean off the side and to the ground, smacking into a tree below before it hit the ground.

I clung to the gutter, but I heard it groan loudly from the weight of my body. Tears spilled from my eyes as I tried to reach up and find a more stable grip.

Wings flapped above me and I couldn't help but look. The winged skeleton floated over my head, beating its wings and hissing out laughter to me. It pointed its spear at me, as though it were taking its time. Oh, why was this happening?! This had to be nightmare!!

It quickly flew at me again, but it never had a chance. There was a loud, horrible twisting sound as the gutter came loose and swung downwards towards the ground. I hung on as best as I could, but my momentum was fast as I fell with it.


	3. Part 3

Part 3

_When the door to the household opened, I expected the usual servant to greet me. I didn't expect to see __**him**__ standing at the door._

"_Impeccable timing, Milady," he complimented good-naturedly. "I've been expecting you."_

"_Thank you, Lord Cronqvist." I suddenly felt a little nervous as he stepped aside and motioned for me to come in. I couldn't explain it, really. My first trip into his home without an escort had been a nervous experience as well. However, my visits were now so very common. We met at least one a week, twice if the timing was right. There was no need to feel unease, right?_

_He led me to his study, as per our usual routine. As I followed him, I was overcome with a sense of solitarily. He lived without family, but it was not uncommon to hear the occasional servant hurrying about._

_But it appeared that no one was about the place but us._

_His study had the usual cozy and comforting atmosphere to it, but there were so many peculiarities about the current situation that I found I could not be at ease. I took my usual seat at the small table before the fire, watching him closely. "So what volume might you like to show me, Lord Cronqvist?"_

_He did not answer me right away. Though he appeared to be calm, I could sense he was hesitant, almost unsure of himself. It was very surprising. "Are you all right, Lord Cronqvist?"_

"…_Yes," he said after a long moment of silence. "Milady, I had in mind something different to present to you today. Do you mind?"_

"_Of course not," I said evenly. "What is it that milord had in mind?"_

_He hesitated again, further adding to my confusion and unease. He began to pace nervously, rubbing his chin with his hand without looking at me._

"…_Milord?" I offered again, trying to keep my voice steady._

_He stopped pacing and chuckled to himself. "I look like a right fool, don't I?" He walked over to me, his hand in his coat pocket. It remained there as he stood right in front of me. He knelt down, lowering himself to the floor until he poised on one knee. I felt a flutter in my stomach and my hands clenched in my lap._

"_May I see your hands, Milady?" he asked._

_My hands were trembling, but I held them out. He pulled his own hand out of his pocket and produced a box that was slightly larger than his own palm. He carefully placed it in my hands. "I hope it is to your liking."_

"_I…thank you." It came automatically, but my fingers were already opening the box before I finished. I peaked quickly inside. "Oh!!"_

_It was a brooch. A beautiful brooch with an image of the Madonna embroiled on its surface. It was a large brooch too, and it shined like silver…oh, it must be real silver!!_

"_I hope this would be a pleasant gift," he began slowly. "And that my intent to marry be evident."_

_I gasped again and my heart started racing. I looked at him with shock. "…Marry?"_

"_Yes, Milady. I would like to marry you, if you would have me."_

_I was so shocked by his words that I was struck speechless. It took me a long time to answer. "I…are you certain? My father—"_

"_I will of course do a proper public proposal and ask your father for your hand. But I would rather hear from you, Milady, if I might have you for my wife." _

_It was beyond anything I could've imagined…anything I could've dreamed of. Tears stung my eyes, but I looked at him as I spoke. "I would be honored to be your wife."_

"_Nay." Suddenly he grasped my hands in his and looked at me very intently. "Do not marry me for honor. I would rather you marry me for love."_

_I couldn't help but stare at him for a long moment. Marry for love? That was very simple; for I knew in my heart I loved him. I knew not how long I had, but I was drawn to him because of it. "I understand, Milord, and I shall marry you for this reason."_

_He relaxed then, and his handsome smile returned. "The Lord is gracious to me, for He has blessed me with a lady I can see through this life happily."_

_I blinked away my tears. Nobody has ever spoken to me this way before, and it was truly a blessing that such a man, that I loved so much, spoke me like this. "Thank you, Milord—"_

_But he shook his head at me. "Don't. Don't defer to me. I will be your husband, but you're not my servant. Don't address me like one."_

"_I-I-I see," I stammered. I didn't know how to take to all of this. He asks me personally for marriage before asking my father, and now he wishes I speak to him as an equal? "Then may I…"_

"_My given name," he confirmed, his smile broadening. "Please…say it now."_

_I swallowed thickly before I spoke his name. I knew his name well and I said it to myself many times, but this was the first time I spoke it aloud. "…Mathias."_

* * *

My head was throbbing _horribly_. My whole body ached. What happened to me?

I groaned heavily, my body moving feebly. My head hurt so badly that I was sure I was going to be sick.

"So you're awake."

I finally lifted one of my arms and raised a hand to my head. My fingers brushed through my bangs and my eyes squeezed shut.

Even through my pain, I managed to get my mouth moving. "…Mathias?"

"No, that's not my name."

My eyes snapped open at that voice. It took a moment to adjust to the bright sunlight flooding my bedroom.

Wait…bedroom? How did I get back inside? I turned to my right to see a familiar face sitting there, staring back at me blankly.

"Arikado-san!!" I cried out in surprise. I launched up into a sitting position, but all the little pains everyone grew worse. I whimpered and hunched over, feeling the nausea grow stronger.

A cup with a red, smoky liquid inside of it was presented in front of me. "Here. Drink this and you'll feel better."

I didn't bothering asking what it was. I grabbed the cup and started chugging it.

"Um—" Arikado began slowly.

The nausea came back in full swing. I coughed some of the potion back up and started dry-heaving. "Ugh—augh!! A-Arikado-san, that tastes terrible!!"

Arikado shrugged neutrally. "I tried to warn you. But in any case it will heal you."

I drank as much of it as I could, despite the horrible taste. Little by little my head started to go away and my head cleared. Once the cup was drained, I was feeling marginally better. Not completely better, but better than before. "So what happened? What are you doing back in Japan? I thought Soma and you were still in France."

"We eliminated our target," Arikado said matter-of-factly. "There were a few loose ends to tie up, so I flew in ahead of Soma while he took care of them."

"What?!" I cried excitedly. "You're finished?! Soma's all right?!" _Soma's okay!! Soma's okay!!!_

"Of course he's all right. He has his hands full with wrapping everything up, but he'll catch up with us soon."

I stared at him, my elation decreasing. "What? Soma took care of the results _instead _of you, Arikado-san?"

"We each do it interchangeably. This time was his turn. Is something wrong, Mina?"

"I…" I sounded so rude talking to Arikado like that, especially since he helped me. But it didn't help with how upset this news made me. I'd been waiting to see Soma for a long time. Even though I liked seeing Arikado, I wanted to see Soma more.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry for being rude, Arikado-san. And please, don't tell Soma I complained like this to you about your work."

"It's really no problem," said Arikado. "Soma asked me to check in on you once I landed. I was very surprised at what I found, though."

"…What did you find?" I asked warily.

"I expected to see you greeting the New Year's sunrise. I _didn't _expect to see you hanging upside down from a tree, and the property damage—"

"The gutter!!" I suddenly cried. I threw back the covers and ran to my window. I looked all up and down the length of the house, even though I didn't fall on this side. "Oh no, the gutter collapsed!! My parents are going to kill me!!"

"That's all right," said Arikado, walking over to stand next to me. "I took care of that."

"Eh?!" I gave him a sideways glance. "You fixed my gutter, Arikado-san?!" I glanced at the clock. It read 8:47. "In less than three hours?! How did you do that?!"

"I have my resources," he said simply, and left it at that. "But it was very surprising for me. Do you mind telling me how that happened? You suffered quite a few broken bones, but I used some potions to heal you."

"I…" I looked back out the window, as though expecting the winged skeleton to pop out again. "Something attacked me while I was on the roof."

"What did?"

"…A winged skeleton," I said quietly.

Arikado grabbed my shoulders and turned me around to face him. I didn't like the look on his face. He looked completely frazzled, and I wasn't use to seeing him like this. "Are you sure, Mina?"

"Y-Y-Yes," I said uneasily, leaning away from his intense stare. "He tried to kill me and I slipped off the roof."

Arikado shook his head. "This temple is sacred ground. More so, the site in which Dracula was sealed. A demon should not be able to trespass here freely."

"I don't know anything," I said miserably. "And somebody's been stalking me, too!!"

"Who has?"

"I don't know if it's a man or woman, but I saw somebody with silver eyes yesterday when I went shopping."

Arikado was silent for a long moment. Then, he let me go. "I'm going to check into this. In the meantime, put up some wards and keep to the shrine—"

"The shrine?!" I shrieked suddenly. I grabbed my alarm clock and looked at it again. "Oh my God!!! It's the New Year!!! Today most of Tokyo will be by for their first shrine visit!!!"

"We have to—" Arikado began.

"You don't understand, Arikado-san!! The Hakuba Shrine receives over a thousand visitors every year!! Some of the patrons might be waiting outside right at this moment!! Oh…" I clutched a hand to my head. "I need my robes and I have to set everything up!!!"

"Mina—"

"Arikado-san." I grabbed his sleeve imploringly. "I have to do this. Please understand. I doubt another demon would show up with the amount of people coming today."

"Mina," Arikado said again. "I have to leave the shrine to investigate this. I'll send word to Soma, Yoko and the others, but you'll be here alone. I won't be able to help you if something happens until I get back this evening."

"Like I said, I'll be fine. There'll be plenty of people here today. I doubt some creepy monster will attack me. Just be sure to be back before the shrine closes, okay?"

Arikado reluctantly nodded. "With any luck there'll be more people here to figure out what's going on."

* * *

It never ceases to amaze me just how many people turn out to the shrine for their first visit of the New Year. They all seemed to be in wonderful moods and the children were usually happy and everyone was polite to me.

Only…dealing with thousands of people in one day can be tiring.

After Arikado left, I threw on my shrine robes and greeted the waiting patrons. From that moment, I didn't stop running around the shrine. There were people looking to be blessed, looking to ring the bell and say a prayer, looking to have their fortune read.

Fortune…I had the most difficulty leaving that booth. Helping people shake bamboo numbers out of cylinder containers to have their fortunes read, some of whom were displeased by what their slip of paper said. But there was only so much I could do.

I got tired very quickly, but my body was in good shape and I was able to keep myself on track. I was more than thankful to Arikado for his help. I didn't want to think of what would happen if I'd been left hanging upside down in that tree.

_But where did that winged skeleton come from? And why did it attack me?_

I freaked me out, and I didn't like thinking about it. The other encounters I'd had with monsters I'd been with Soma, and they were primarily attacking him. But Soma was still in France. And that monster was deliberately trying to attack me.

It was easy to keep it from my mind, though, as the day's task kept my mind more than occupied.

"Mommy, mommy!!" I heard a girl cry. "Look at my brooch!!"

I stopped in my tracks at that. _Brooch?_

"Yes, grandmother gave you a lovely brooch," said the woman, smiling down at her toddler daughter.

"I'm gonna wear it forever!!!" the girl cried, holding out a heart brooch proudly.

I watched them silently. It was a cute scene, but my heart was beating rapidly. Brooches…it's been a long time since I owned one.

_Maybe it's that dream that got my attention about this. But then why do I feel so weird by it?_

I shook my head. There was still a lot of work to do and I couldn't do it just standing there.

* * *

The end of the day. It was dusk before the final patron left. I knew this was only the tip of the iceberg though, and more would come tomorrow…and the day after that.

"Mom and Dad had better be home by then," I complained to nobody in particular, stretching out my arms. I was standing in the fortune booth, getting ready to clean up. I took my time though, as I unwound the bamboo screen cord and started winding it down, bringing the roll down to cover the window.

Inches from the countertop, a black gloved hand caught the screen, making it stop. "Excuse me, but is it too late to have my fortune read?"

"No, of course not!!" I spoke with an enthusiasm I wasn't feeling. I wound the screen back up. "I'm sorry for that, sir!!"

"Oh, it's no problem missus. I'll be out of your way shortly."

"It really is no…" My voice involuntarily trailed off as the screen rose back up completely. A man wearing sunglasses and a heavy white winter coat stood there smiling at me. But…he was a foreigner. Dark blonde hair was tussled all about his head and falling into his face. Maybe he was American or Northern European.

"I've never had a Japanese fortune read," he said to me. "But I like the thought of a new learning experience." He spoke absolutely perfect Japanese, without even a slight accent. I'd thought a Japanese man had been standing there. It was impressive…and unnerving.

"I-I'll get you started then," I stammered slightly, turning away from him. I'd resorted the bamboo numbers and put the cylinders away, but I was sure I could get it back together again. I was sure the man wouldn't mind. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye as I prepared it. He was looking at his gloved fingers as though he were examining his fingernails.

"So you're a shrine maiden now?" he asked suddenly, his voice oddly curious.

I was finished with my preparations and quickly straightened to face him. "Excuse me?"

"Hmm?" the man glanced at me. "Did I say that aloud?"

"……Yes," I said uneasily. What the hell kind of question was that? A shrine maiden _now_?! I'd never met this man before!!

It would probably be a good idea to ask him to leave. But I said nothing more and held out the cylinder. The man took it enthusiastically enough and shook it a few times. A stick popped out and he quickly read the number. "Twelve."

"All right," I said evenly. I knew what fortune it was, having repeatedly given it out today. I drew out a slip of paper from the 'twelve' slot and handed it to him.

The man held the paper high and read it aloud. "_Experience is what causes a person to make new mistakes instead of old ones._" He threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, what a true statement!!"

I didn't think the fortune was that funny, but the man was completely tickled by it. He laughed for several moments, seeming to enjoy himself very much. I just stood there in silence, waiting for him to finish and leave.

Finally, he stopped laughing. He shook his head and grinned toothily at me. "Thank you, missus, for your help."

"…You're welcome," I said quietly.

But the man wasn't done. He raised a hand up and fingered his sunglasses. "I wanted to see what type of person you were like. I've heard stories, lots of them, and you just sound so _proper _and _boring_. But I guess there's always more than what meets the eye."

"…What?" I asked quietly, stepping back from the window slowly.

"This has been fun. But…" he took his sunglasses off. He had a very handsome, youthfully middle-aged face, but his eyes were closed. "Life is life, isn't it? And some things are meant to be."

He opened his eyes. I squeaked and backed further into the stall. His eyes…they were silver. The same silver eyes I saw yesterday!!

"Enjoy the rest of your…day," he said, bowing slightly to me. He slid his sunglasses back on and walked away. I couldn't help it…I ran to the window and looked out. But he was nowhere to be found.

What just happened? And who was that?!

* * *

"_Hammer's flying in from America and Julius will be flying in hopefully in a couple of days. Soma told me he's wrapping up everything and will take the first flight out of France he can. And Yoko's already in Japan; she should be in Tokyo around ten tonight. I'll be back at the shrine around 7:30."_

Arikado left me that message on my home answering machine sometime during the day. It was now 7:22.

I sighed heavily and picked at my dinner. I'd made enough for Arikado and Yoko in case they were hungry, but I'd started eating mine because I was hungry. Or at least I thought I was. Now I couldn't even swallow a bite.

I looked at my cell phone at the corner of the table. I flipped it open and checked my messages. None. None from Soma or even my parents. Arikado had no problems contacting Soma and get updates from him, but Soma couldn't call me?!

_At least he'll be back quickly. He's coming home, and it's definitely for you._

That certainly made me feel better. Soma was all right I was going to see him again.

I looked up his number in the directory. I was seeing him again very soon, but it still wanted to talk to him. I still wanted to hear his voice.

I was still looking at my phone and contemplating calling Soma when my front door opened sharply and slammed shut. Heavy footsteps trod over the hallway, but I looked up casually as those footsteps stopped in the dining room. "Arikado-san, did—"

My voice died abruptly. It wasn't Arikado who stood on the threshold. It was a stranger, a giant of a man, just taller than Hammer. He was largely built too, and was shirtless and simple gray pants, despite the cold weather. His head was shaved and his dark eyes were…crazy. That's the only way I could describe it. They were wide and scary and they looked right at me, his mouth grinning so widely that his face was twitching.

Most notably, he held a jagged axe in his right hand.

I stared at him dumbly from where I sat, my mouth hanging open. I was in so much shock at this intrusion that I didn't know what to do or say.

"Hakuba Mina?!?!" He thundered, his voice oddly shrilly for such a large body.

Panic gripped me fast, too quickly for me to react. "Um—"

The man raised the axe up to his torso area. "Time to DIIIIIE!!!!!!" Quick as lightning he lunged at me, swinging that horrible axe at my head.


	4. Part 4

Part 4

It was like time stopped for a brief moment. For a long moment, I was shocked and delirious. I certainly had no control over myself.

Maybe it was instinct, but before that axe became embedded in my head I was flying backwards, out of the chair and away from the table. I crashed to the floor with a loud thud, gasping for air. I was probably supposed to be screaming at that point, but I couldn't. The situation was too surreal to me.

The axe implanted into my dining room table instead of me. But that didn't last for long. The psychopath put a foot on the side of the table and with a loud grunt tugged on the handle. The axe came free, sending pieces of wood into the air.

When he kicked the now broken table down and my chair aside to get to me, I knew I had to act. I scrambled across the floor wildly, that blade narrowly missing me as it hit the floor. I got to my feet and reached for the wall. Just inches from my head that axe dented the wall.

The shock abated somewhat. I began screaming horribly and ran towards the threshold. He was standing there waiting for me swinging that axe. It narrowly missed me again and I jumped around him to get out of there. I ran literally for my life for the front door, but I heard him gaining on me. It didn't help that I was wearing socks and he was wearing boots. My feet were sliding as I ran, and he was almost right on me, and I could hear the air whooshing as he swung that thing—

_Go go go GO!!!! Get out, get away, RUN!!!!_

I couldn't think of anything else. Thankfully the front door was unlocked as I slammed it open. This guy probably thought he'd kill me quickly before I could run and didn't lock the door behind him. I'd barely made it past the door when I heard a 'whoosh' again. Cold, undulated fear shot through me as I felt that blade tear a line through the back of my shirt, somehow missing me otherwise, and completely decimating my front door.

I only screamed louder as I ran for the front steps to the shrine. I screamed for help or just meaningless shrills. It didn't matter I was alone there, in a shrine at the top of a hill, and Arikado hadn't returned.

The man gained on me again. I could hear his guttural breathing as he swung at my back and I tried to run faster but he was just faster than me!!!

I ran down a few steps before I lost my footing. I fell hard to the ground and tumbled down a few steps before I was able to stop myself. The crazy man's momentum didn't stop though, and he followed me quickly down the stairs. I didn't have enough time to recover. He grunted guttery and his smile and eyes were insanely wide. I waved my arms wildly and stupidly as he swung the axe at me again.

But the axe didn't strike me. When it got too close, I saw a flash of white light and heard a sharp ring. The man cried out in surprise and suddenly flew backwards, landing hard on the stairs, the axe limp in his hand.

I choked a little, and I saw the flicker of a shield surround me like a bubble. It was then I heard loud footsteps on the stairs behind and a dark figure walked around me to stand in front of me.

It was Arikado, and I was overcome with so much relief that I was unable to speak.

But the crazy man wasn't idle for long. He jumped back to his feet with a loud roar and raised his axe high. He snarled through clenched teeth, all of which were visible.

"I should've known YOU would come to _her_ defense!!!" the man rasped, taking a fighting stance. At least he wasn't swinging the axe wildly anymore.

"You have ten seconds to get out of here or I'll kill you," Arikado responded, his tone reserved and calm, despite the situation.

The man barked out a laugh at him. "Really?!?!?! What makes you think YOU can defeat ME?!?!"

"Because you're an insignificant foot soldier." Arikado's voice was monotone, but he took a stance. "You're probably worth as much to your group as that winged skeleton they released upon her."

I stared at Arikado stunned. "What? A group—"

"Ten." Quickly as lightning, Arikado was flying forward at the crazy man. The man swung his axe at Arikado anyways, but before it could strike him Arikado grabbed the handle in his fist. Then before the man could react, Arikado raised his free hand to the other man's face. A bright orange light erupted from his hand and suddenly the man was flying again. He landed on the ground with a sickening thud, clutching at his face and screaming in pain.

Arikado stared at him impassively. He squeezed the hideous axe in his fist and in seconds it disintegrated like sand. It didn't seem possible that this threat to me was now over, but it was. I was still too scared to move from beyond the shield.

"I'm gonna fucking KILL YOU!!!!!!" the man roared, jumping back to his feet. His face was bright red and blisters were starting to form on his cheeks. "YOU'RE DEAD, BOTH OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!"

I stared at Arikado's back, but he didn't falter. I heard him mumble something under his breath and suddenly four white puffs of smoke materialized in thin air and flew at the man. He swatted at them wildly with his gigantic fists, but each puff flew around him and struck him. Each time they struck he screamed louder and louder in pain and my instincts made me feel sympathy for him, even though he tried to kill me. They disappeared seconds later, but by then he'd started coughing up blood and purple scorch marks appeared on his skin.

"I'll k-k-kill you!!!" he rasped, scrubbing the blood away from his skin. "I SWEAR I WILL!!!!!"

Suddenly, there was a loud 'pop' and the area filled with dark gray smoke. I covered my nose and mouth, but for some strange reason the smoke didn't penetrate the shield. Arikado stood in front of me, still on his guard.

Thankfully, we didn't have anything more to worry about. Once the smoke settled, I could clearly see that the crazy man was gone. It was almost as though none of this had even happened, but I could see my damaged front door from my position. And the terror threatening to overtake me was too strong.

Arikado relaxed slightly, but not completely. He turned around to face me. "Are you all right, Mina?"

I didn't know how to answer him. I was grateful to be alive, but…I realized then that my hands were shaking. I stared at them absently until I realized the rest of me was shaking too and I didn't know how to stop.

Arikado's face softened slightly, but not by much. He knelt down in front of me. "Come, let's get out of here. You've had a terrible day today."

It was then it happened. A terrible wail erupted from my throat and tears spilled out of my eyes. In seconds I was crying hysterically, my whole body shaking even harder. I felt so horrible and alone and unsafe!!! I almost died!!! I almost died…I buried my face into my hands.

Arikado didn't press me further and helped me to my feet. "Here, let's go to my hotel. You can rest there as we figure things out."

---

I was able to get myself under control by the time we reached his hotel. But my insides had become numb and my head felt heavy. Everything that had happened so far seemed too much for me to deal with. Arikado planted me on one of the sofas in the main room as he excused himself to make a call. That left me to just stare off into space aimlessly, wondering why all of this was happening to me. I mean, I was terrified when all of these burdens fell upon Soma's shoulder, but I'd somehow mustered the strength to support him wholeheartedly.

But this…it was happening to _me._ How was I supposed to deal with this?

_Soma…_I felt my throat tightened again. _Where are you? When are you getting here? Please get here! I need you…_

Arikado suddenly re-entered the main room, holding out the phone. "Mina, it's your parents."

This gave me new life. I sprung from the couch and snatched the phone from him. "Mom, Dad!!!!"

"Mina, are you all right?!" Mom sounded frantic on the other line. "Arikado-san told us what happened!!! Did that bastard hurt you in any way?!?!"

"N-no, I'm not injured. But…" I was on the verge of hysteria all over again. "It was awful!!! He tried to…" I couldn't make myself say the word. "Oh Mom…I don't know what's going on!!!"

"Don't worry, Mina. Your father and I have wrapped up our work here and we're returning to Tokyo as quickly as possible. I know this will be hard, but try to relax. Arikado-san said he would stay with you as his associates show up, and we'll be in to see you too."

"Thank you Mom." The assurances didn't make me feel any better, though. It was still difficult to digest what had happened. "I just don't know why this is happening to me!! I-I mean, I've been involved in situations like this with Soma, but never alone!!! Not when _I'm _specifically the target!!! Who would do this to me, Mom?!"

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other line. It was enough to make me stop crying. "…Mom?" I wasn't expecting that sort of reaction from her.

"…Don't worry, Mina," she said finally, her voice hesitant. "I'm certain nothing will happen to you. We'll make sure of it, okay?"

"Yeah," I said lamely. We ended the phone call quicker than I'd wanted to. Something seemed…weird all of a sudden. I turned to Arikado, who was watching me patiently. "Arikado-san, what's going on? Why did that guy try to…kill me? And what was that you said about a 'group' sending him out?"

Arikado was silent for a long moment. It was irritating me.

Finally, he said, "I'll explain it to you, Mina, but can I ask you to wait until everyone gets here? Yoko will be here in a couple of hours and Soma, Hammer, and Julius will be flying in hopefully before tomorrow night. In the meantime, why don't you get some sleep? You've had a very grueling few days."

I grumbled to myself, but slowly nodded. "All right. I'll probably have some nightmares, but sleep should do me some good."

"Good." Arikado led me to one of the closed doors inside the suite. In spite of the situation, I was inwardly amazed that he managed to snag such a luxurious suite, complete with four bedrooms with their own queen-sized bed. The room I entered was dark, but it wasn't difficult to find the bed. I fell face-first upon it and curled up into a ball, trying to focus on sleep. I couldn't help but still be afraid, as though that crazy-man would spring out from the shadows of the room and attack me again.

_Soma…_I curled up tighter. _Please get here soon…_

_---_

_I was eavesdropping. It wasn't proper behavior of a lady, but I wanted so dearly to hear the conversation going on in the parlor. After all, the conversation was about me._

"_I do hope you'll forgive me, Lord Cronqvist," began Father, his tone uncertain. "But I hadn't a clue you saw favor with my daughter. I would expect a courtship of her first, but you bring before me a marriage prospect instead?"_

"_I do, Milord." Even now his voice made my heart start racing. His tone was very confident, despite my father's mood. "It is my desire to take Lady Elisabetha as my wife. If it would please his lordship, I would rather not go through the process of courtship, as I'm quite certain of what I want of her."_

"_And what of me?" Father asked. "Elisabetha is my only child and sole benefactor. What if I have promised her to another lord? Am I to break off this arrangement because you want her so staunchly?" _

"_I would rather not create a conflict of interest with your affairs, Milord," the response came seemingly easily and his confidence never wavered. "That is why I'm prepared to compensate you for this rather surprising offer to you. Might I offer you a score of my own land?"_

_Father was silent for a long time before he answered. "I…you're going to pay ME for Elisabetha's hand, Lord Cronqvist?! A __**man **__bestowing a dowry…this is quite unusual!"_

"_I have no family, Milord, and so I have quite an unnecessarily amount of wealth about me. It would be no bother to part with some of it. I swear I will pay you as promised so long that I might take Lady Elisabetha as my wife. I brought Leon here to act as my witness with this verbal contract."_

"_You can trust in Mathias, Milord. I give you my word he will fulfill any obligation he may hold to both your daughter and yourself." I recognized Lord Belmont's voice and my heart only beat faster. He and Mathias were close friends, and so I knew how truly he meant that he wanted to marry me._

_Father was silent again. I was afraid of what he might do. What if he refused Mathias's offer? Father didn't know how close we really were and I didn't want to marry anyone else. But if Father refused, then there was little __**I**__ could say about it._

_Then he spoke. "Fetch Elisabetha."_

_A jolt of panic overtook me. I stood up quickly and ran up the stairwell. I was only so lucky that I'd removed me shoes, otherwise my footsteps would be heard throughout the house!_

_I raced into my room and quickly shoved my feet into my shoes. How could I make it less obvious that I was eavesdropping on my father? It was then that I spotted the handloom at the far side of the room and quickly took a seat in front of it. I'd forgotten about whatever I'd originally been sewing in this machine, but I worked as though I knew what I was doing._

_I became focused on the task as a knock came to my door. "Enter," I called over my shoulder._

_The door opened behind me. "His lordship requests your presence downstairs, Milady."_

"_Of course." I tried not to sound too excited or look too nervous as I stopped the handloom and rose to my feet. I followed the servant girl downstairs, hearing the faint sounds of conversation coming from the parlor. Oh, how I wanted to know what they discussed!_

_The servant girl knocked once and opened the double doors. "Lady Elisabetha, Milord." She stepped aside and gave me a path to enter the room._

_The three men had been sitting when I walked in, but all of them stood up as I entered the room. I tried not to look at Mathias directly, but it was rather difficult. But Father stepped right over to me and so I was able to focus on him without alerting his suspicions._

"_Elisabetha, this is Lord Mathias Cronqvist and Lord Leon Belmont," Father introduced to me politely, despite his derision earlier. "Lord Cronqvist and Lord Belmont, this is Elisabetha, my daughter."_

_I turned to the other two men and curtsied to them as gracefully as I could, which unfortunately wasn't by much given my own nervousness. "Good den, Lord…Cronqvist, Lord Belmont."Thankfully, Father didn't notice my pause._

_Before I could rise up, Mathias gave me a most courteous bow. "Good den, Milady."_

_Leon bowed as well, but with more subtlety. "Good den."_

_Once I straightened, Father addressed me again. "Lord Cronqvist would like your hand in marriage, Elisabetha. I happen to agree with this match."_

_My head snapped over in Father's direction."Really?!" I saw the way his expression twisted slightly and bowed my head. "I-I mean, is that so?"_

"_He's offered me a reasonable sum to have you, and I believe it would be polite to give him what he wants. He's quite…insistent on choosing you."_

_I turned to look at Mathias. Both Leon and he looked quite surprised by Father's words, most likely because he'd refused the offer so vehemently before. I could feel relief and utter joy threatening to consume me, and it was quite a struggle to keep my emotions in check. "I see, Father."_

_Mathias then turned to address me, unable to hide a pleased smile. "It is my desire to seek you as my wife, Milady. I hope I am not being too forward in my request, considering we've spoken very little in the past." It was a bold-faced lie, but I knew Father would be very displeased if he knew how close we really were. Leon himself looked like he was trying to keep a straight face, making me wonder if he knew the truth. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that were the case._

_I curtsied to him again. "If it is both the wish of my father and your wish, Milord, then I will gladly accept your offer of marriage."_

"_Well said, Elisabetha!" said Father, smiling brightly at me before addressing Mathias. "When would you like the ceremony to be?"_

"_Whenever Milord wishes it," said Mathias. He looked quite pleased with himself as well. "I would prefer as soon as possible. Leon here will act as my witness."_

"_And I shall act as Elisabetha's." Father shook Mathias's hand vigorously. "We are in agreement then!"_

_I couldn't stop the smile from spreading on my face. So many other gentlewomen I knew loathed the prospect of marriage for the material gain of their parents. But I knew Mathias sought my hand not because of that, but because he was genuinely fond of me, and I was of him. I felt truly blessed by this._

_---_

My head felt too heavy, as though I hadn't slept at all. It was quite an effort to open my eyes, and the darkness of the room didn't help matters.

"Ugh…" I rolled onto my back and looked up at the ceiling. The Tokyo skylight leaked through my curtains to leave some light patterns on the walls. For a moment I just wanted to lie there and pretend nothing had happened to me. But I couldn't. This wasn't my room and those weren't my parents' voices in the other room.

Wait…voices? Arikado wasn't alone!!

I sat up quickly, but I still felt awful. I staggered over to the bathroom, not wanting to face whoever was waiting for me as I was. Even if it was Soma.

_Please just let it be Soma. _The bathroom door was open and I grabbed the sink in the dark. I slowly turned the facet on as my other hand fumbled for the light switch. The room flooded with light and I found my reflection in the mirror.

And I screamed.

"Mina!!" I heard the footsteps rushing to my door, even as I ran out of the bathroom. Terror just gripped me and I began to panic. I didn't even notice hands grabbing my shoulders until they started shaking me. "Mina, calm down!! What happened?!"

This new voice seemed to cut through my panic. I abruptly stopped screaming and focused on the person in front of me. "…Yoko-san?"

"Take a deep breath, Mina." Yes, it was Yoko. Even at this hour she looked very fresh and beautiful. Her tone softened a little and she stopped shaking me. "Now, tell me what happened? Did somebody come in here after you?"

"No…" I shook my head, though it only made me dizzy. I didn't know I could describe this to her and I knew she would be upset with me about this. "Not exactly, I don't think…"

"You don't think?" Arikado was standing at my doorway, but he turned on the light. Light flooded the room once again but he slowly crept inside. "Were you alone in here, Mina?"

"I…" I looked between the two of them. They were both on edge and obviously assuming the worst. "It's…I don't know."

"What exactly happened in here?" Yoko let go of me, but she was on her guard as well.

"Well…I woke up and I went into the bathroom. When I turned on the light…" I wrung my hands a little as I spoke. "Look, maybe somebody put an illusion spell on this place."

"There's been no magic cast here except for the shielding spells I casted," said Arikado. He peaked into the bathroom. "Did you see something in the dark?"

"In the bathroom. The mirror, it…I saw somebody's face."

"Whose?" asked Yoko.

"I don't know. It was a woman with red hair. She…her face was where _mine _was supposed to be."

Arikado flinched out of the corner of my eye. Yoko's expression suddenly went blank. "What? What happened? Was I imagining things?"

Arikado suddenly waved me over to the bathroom. "Check your reflection again. Tell me if you see the woman."

"I-It's not a big deal," I said defensively. "I was just startled, that's all. I only saw her for a few seconds, but she didn't seem threatening."

Arikado waved to me again, a little impatiently. "Please check, Mina."

"All right." I walked over to the bathroom, Yoko following me closely. I felt a little embarrassed by this and I briefly wondered if Arikado was taking me seriously. But his expression was the same as I was used to, and Yoko wasn't acting playful. It'd scared the crap out of me at first, but this wasn't anything major, right? I mean, it wasn't like she tried to kill me.

Still, I hesitated before I rounded the corner and looked into the mirror. If I saw her face again…well, this time I was expecting it so maybe it wouldn't frighten me.

"What do you see?" asked Arikado.

I was surprised. I saw my own face staring back at me. "I don't see her. It's my own reflection this time."

"Hmm…" Arikado looked at me through the reflection of the mirror and glanced at Yoko. They didn't say anything to each other, but there seemed to be a…understanding there. Something that _I _didn't get.

"So what does the woman mean, or was my mind playing games with me?" I asked.

"Let's go out into the main room," said Yoko. "There's a lot we need to discuss."

I didn't argue with that, but I couldn't help but feel they were avoiding something. It irritated me, but I didn't let it show too much as we went back out. Yoko took a seat next to me on the couch and Arikado remained standing. "So do you guys know what's going on? Why am I being stalked and threatened? I know you want me to wait, but I can't! I want some answers now!"

"There's a new cult that's emerged," said Yoko, patting me on the knee. "Well…it's not exactly new because they've been around for a few decades. But in the past year their numbers have grown and their activities have increased. This is the first they've been to Japan, though, and so we didn't expect them to set up operations here."

"Are they after Soma? Are they threatening me to get to him?"

"It's a lot more complicated than that," Arikado interjected. "But yes, their true target is Soma."

"…And?" I was becoming impatient.

"Mina, it's complicated," said Yoko. "But Arikado and I both feel that it will be better to explain everything once Soma and the others arrive."

I sighed in exasperation. "Somebody is trying to kill me!!! I'd appreciate it if I knew WHY!!"

"Mina—"

A cell phone started ringing, cutting Yoko off. Arikado pulled his out of his pocket and answered it. "Hello? Yes. So you've arrived, Julius—"

Julius was in Japan!! That was one less person needed!! Now if only Soma would arrive…

Arikado's brow knitted suddenly. "Yes, she's here. No. No, not quite. Wait…what?" His calm face was suddenly full of shock. "You're sure? You're absolutely sure of this?" He suddenly looked at me and my joy was rapidly fading. "No. No, save it. It's best not to discuss this over the phone. Yes, wait until you get here. The hotel…" He gave him the name and address of his hotel and abruptly hung up. Yoko was up on her feet and they began to whisper to each other quickly. They couldn't have been more than five feet away from me but I couldn't hear a word they said.

"What's going on?!" I shouted, finally losing my temper. I jumped off the couch and even stamped my feet. "What did Julius-san say?! And don't tell me I need to wait because I want to know now!!!"

Yoko began looking very uncomfortable. Arikado on the other hand didn't lose his cool. He walked over to me and put his hands on my shoulders. "Do you trust us, Mina?"

"…Yes."

"Then please believe me when I say that this should wait. The group that's after you is going to need to regroup for a while now that I've made my presence clear. Both Hammer and Soma should be here by tomorrow night. Can you wait until tomorrow night?"

Arikado wasn't going to budge on this; I just knew it. And his evasive nature only made me more nervous. What exactly was going on?

"It's bad, isn't it?" I asked quietly. I lowered my feet and looked at my feet. "This news you have to tell me?"

Arikado squeezed my shoulders gently. "Try getting some more sleep. You've had a terrible day."

---

"_**Heavenly Father, Creator of life and source of all love that is true and life-giving, hear our loving prayers on behalf of our friends Mathias and Elisabetha on their wedding day. Join and unite them faithfully in the sacrament of marriage and make their love fruitful, so that together they may bear witness to your divine love in the world. This we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives, and reigns with you & the Holy Spirit ... Amen."**_

_The priest's tone was very soft, even in the silent chamber. Everything seemed quite surreal to me, as though I were dreaming. It was difficult to believe I was standing there, being wed to a man who chose me for love, as I did for him._

"_Now," the priest continued. "As I would understand it, you both would like to recite to each other."_

"_That's correct, Father," said Mathias. The smile hadn't left his face since we arrived here at the church, and that was incredibly uplifting for me._

"_All right. Now, if you would like to—"_

"_Forgive me, Father, but I would rather that Elisabetha go first."_

_The priest stopped speaking and then turned to me. I was a little surprised by this, but I nodded. It didn't bother me either way which of us went first. "If that's what you both wish, then you may begin whenever you're ready."_

_I looked at Father over my shoulder, who gave me an encouraging nod. He still did not know I could read, so it had been incredibly trying to have to sit still and be force-fed the passage I chose. However, I felt nothing but joy as turned to Mathias to speak to him directly. "I chose the verse 'The Power of Love' from the Song of Songs."_

_Mathias nodded to this, not saying a word. I took a deep breath and began. __**"**__**Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is stronger than death, passion fiercer than the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If one offered for love all the wealth of one's house, it would be utterly scorned."**_

_I was finished, and Mathias looked quite pleased with me. I looked at Father again and he looked very pleased and proud as well. _

_Mathias then stepped forward. "I will recite 1 Corinthians, verses thirteen, one through eight, and thirteen."_

_I was unfamiliar with this verse but I still nodded my approval. Before he spoke, he stepped closer to me so that he could look directly into my face…into my eyes. I couldn't look anyplace else. _

"_**If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. **_

_**Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. **_

_**Love never fails....And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."**_

_I could feel tears running down my cheeks, but I couldn't look away from him or even raise a hand to wipe them away. Words failed me. Standing there in the presence of the priest, Father, and even Leon Belmont, I honestly felt like it was the happiest moment of my life._

_The priest continued, motioning to Leon to bring the rings forward, but my eyes were on Mathias only. __**"May the Lord pour His mercy upon you. And His presence be always your guide, to inwardly guard and uphold you; May His grace ever be at your side. And may Heaven's bright angels surround you, Keep you kind, as you share on the way, May your children then blossom around you, and give joy to your marriage each day."**_

---

An obnoxiously cheerful ringtone woke me up abruptly. I leaned up sluggishly and looked around the bed. After a moment I realized it was coming from my pocket and I yanked my cell phone out. "What is it?"

"_You sound tired, Mina. Did I wake you up?"_

In an instant I was wide awake and quickly sat up. "_Soma!!_"

"_I'd ask you how you're feeling, but you probably don't want to answer."_ It was definitely Soma, although his voice was rather faint and very exhausted.

"No, I'm feeling fine now." It was somewhat true. Now that I was finally talking to Soma, there was just an overwhelming sense of relief. "How are you feeling?"

"_A little tired. Right now I'm stuck in Frankfurt in between my flights, but I should definitely be in Tokyo in a few hours."_

"Don't stress yourself out too much. Arikado-san, Yoko-san, and even Julius-san are here so you don't have to worry about me."

"_I'm going to worry about you anyways, Mina. Arikado's filled me in on the details going on there and it just…" _His voice trailed off. _"This shouldn't be happening, Mina. Not to you."_

I managed a small smile. It always touched me how much Soma worried about me, even though his work was dangerous and it was usually _his _life that was in danger. "I'll be all right, Soma. It's not easy for me, but at least I'm not facing it alone."

"…_That's true. But please take care of yourself. My next flight is in an hour and I'll try to get back to Japan as quickly as possible."_

"I know, Soma. Just don't forget to take care of yourself. I might be involved in something big, but you need to watch your back too."

"_I will, Mina."_

It was a short conversation, but talking to Soma made me feel better than I had for a while. Knowing that he was very concerned about this situation, that he was trying to get home quickly…it made me glad that I was his best friend.

"_Poor Soma. She'll have you wrapped around her finger."_

I shook my head and lay back down. No, there wasn't time to think about _that_. Now, I could only think about what was going on…and what might happen.


	5. Part 5

Part 5

"Good morning."

Julius Belmont looked fresher than one might look from an overseas flight. He certainly looked better than how _I_ felt, sitting on one of the couches sipping a cup of coffee.

"So who's trying to kill me?" I didn't waste any time as I sat down across from him. Soma's phone call came about two hours ago, but I hadn't been able to fall back asleep.

As I might've expected though, Julius didn't answer me directly. "It's another bothersome cult, but you'll receive all of the details when Hammer and Soma arrive."

"Hammer met his connecting flight and is en route here," reported Yoko, also holding a cup of coffee. Even though she was wide awake, she had dark circles under her eyes. I could tell she got little to no sleep and that allowed some of the annoyance I felt to diminish slightly. "He should arrive around noon. Soma—"

"Is still in Frankfurt," I supplied. When both Julius and Yoko gave me surprised looks, I simply shrugged. "He called me a couple hours ago to check up on me."

Yoko smiled a little around her cup. "That's very sweet of him."

"So it won't be too long then," I said, trying to ignore what she meant.

"We should be able to update you later on today," said Julius. He set his cup down. "But we still have to be on our guard. This group is very persistent and they know who we are. The bastard who attacked me did—"

"Wait, what?!" I cried, jumping to my feet. "Somebody attacked you, Julius-san?"

Julius shrugged dismissively. "It was nothing too serious, but they were bold enough to attack me mid-flight. Thankfully most of the cabin had been put to sleep and I was able to dispose of him before I alerted _too _much suspicion."

"They attacked you _on the airplane_?!"

"Yes, which makes me think they're willing to go to rather extreme lengths to fulfill their mission. We avoided exposure this time, but it's obvious they don't really care who knows their intentions."

I ran a hand through my hair nervously. "This is insane…"

"Well, groups like these are never meant to have the best of intentions," Julius said plainly, sipping more of his coffee.

Before I could say more, the door to the hotel suite opened and closed sharply. All of us turned to see Arikado walk quickly into the room, tucking his cell phone into his pocket. "They know we're here," he announced abruptly. "This hotel is as secure as I can make it, but if they show up here there might be civilian casualties."

"So we'll need to move location," supplied Yoko, folding her arms over her chest. "Where should we go?"

"Back to the shrine—"

"Back home?!" I interrupted, jumping to my feet. "But…is it safe?! I was attacked there _twice _already!!" I hated that I couldn't even feel safe in my own home.

Arikado nodded to each point but said, "The grounds need to be secure once again. Both of your parents have returned to the shrine and are currently applying powerful wards."

_This _news helped to change my mind considerably. "Then let's get going then!"

My house still had a significant amount of damage to it from last night, but it was such a relief to see my parents about the place. Mom was taping up different wards while Dad was fixing up the front door. Being able to see them alive and okay, especially with everything going on, made me recall what'd happened yesterday. I tried not to cry as Mom put aside the ofundas and pulled me into a tight hug. "Mina!!! Are you all right?!"

I couldn't say anything and so I jerked a nod. I wasn't really okay at all, but I was starting to feel better.

"Everything's been so hard for you lately." She squeezed me a little tighter before she let me go. "And you look like you haven't gotten any sleep. Go and take a nap. It'll help you feel better."

"Is it safe?" I asked warily, looking up towards the house.

"There's no denying that evil presences have been about the place, even though this is sacred ground. Right now we're putting on temporary protections until we can bless the shrine again. Reinforced spiritual power should help keep this menace at bay." She smoothed a hand over my cheek and forced a smile. She was acting as calm as she could, but I could see the worry in her eyes. It made me both uneasy and comforted somehow. "Now, go get some sleep. I'll wake you up later for lunch." She turned to look at the others. "I think you guys need to explain a few things."

Arikado nodded to this. "You know a lot already, but I can fill in the details. In the meantime, I'll help you set up wards."

It didn't surprise me that my parents knew _something_ about this, but it annoyed me that nobody was telling _me _anything. But I also knew they wouldn't say anything to me until Soma arrived and so I didn't bother arguing the point.

I didn't like that I felt uneasy walking into my house. Seeing the still very damaged front door created further reminders of my near-death experience. Walking into the entryway and past the dining room, seeing damage to the walls, floors, and the destroyed table, almost sent me into a panic attack. It was strange that the encounter affected me so much, when all of the encounters with monsters before hadn't.

_It's because you were with Soma both of those times. This time you were alone…and your attacker was human._

Maybe that was it. Maybe that's why the attack by the winged skeleton didn't scare me so much. I could expect evil in such monsters, but when it came from another person…who almost freakishly took pleasure in trying to kill me, it was too unsettling. People weren't supposed to act like that. I knew such natures existed in people and I'd seen it in the likes of Celia and others, but it still surprised me.

Soma must face this sort of insanity all the time.

I took my time walking up the stairs. Behind me, I could hear the others entering the house and talking with Dad, and that gave me more comfort. Something odd was going on, but I wasn't facing it alone.

As I reached the second floor, I was overcome with exhaustion. I really didn't get very much sleep last night and all this stress was wearing me thin. Sleep was only a temporary cure, but it was what I surely needed. I would be all right with a house full of people.

Or I thought I would. I didn't encounter any problems in my bedroom and so I didn't hesitate to open my door. But my room wasn't empty. Floating in midair right in the middle of my room was this blue ghost…sprite monster. I didn't know how it could've gotten past all the wards, but it was there. It let out a hiss and began slowly floating towards me.

After the initial shock faded, I began screaming. But just seconds later, I felt something whip past my head. A ball of light hit the sprite and enveloped it. It began screaming hideously for a few moments before it abruptly exploded, melting into nothingness as though it was never there.

"Sorry." A hand touched my shoulder and Yoko brushed past me to look around my room. "We're being careful, but leaks were bound to happen."

I didn't bother saying anything, just leaning against the door as she inspected my room for any further monsters. It didn't take long and she gave me a small smile. "You're in the clear now."

"…I don't think I can sleep now," I said quietly, stumbling into my room.

"Will it help if I sit in here with you?" asked Yoko. She didn't wait for an answer though, and pulled out the chair to my desk.

Even so, I nodded to this as I sat on my head. "Thanks, Yoko-san."

"It's not a problem. I know things are tough now, but it won't be this way for much longer. We'll put a stop to this group, like we always do."

"I know. I just hope I don't have any nightmares over this." I knew they would be able to stop them and I knew Soma would work his hardest in order to help me. I just hoped that I came out of this alive in the end.

---

"—_I couldn't begin to understand what was going on. Aland wouldn't take my concerns seriously and so there were little options for me."_

"_I see." I hoped my voice didn't sound as disinterested as I felt. Lady __Héloise Bedivere could be such a horrid gossip and spoke so often of her own misery. She wasn't good company to me, but I accommodated her whenever she bade a visit. I remained turned away from her and pretended to busy myself with food prepared for us._

_Lady __Bedivere continued despite my lack of interest. "However, I was able to catch Cadby in the act. I saw him steal of our provisions and such evidence couldn't be denied. Aland rightfully flogged him twenty times and dismissed him and nothing else has been stolen from us since."_

"_I see." I felt a cough come on and made sure to cover my mouth. It cleared up quickly and I picked up the tray and carried it over to the table. __Lady __Bedivere had fallen silent and now she was staring at me with a peculiar expression. I tried to ignore it as I served the food, but when she sampled nothing I knew I had to speak. "Is something the matter?"_

"_I envy you, Lady Cronqvist," she responded abruptly._

"_What?" I set everything down and sat up a little straighter. "Envy me, __Lady __Bedivere? Why ever so?"_

"_Because you can be apart from your husband for a long period of time and you may rest in assurance that he will not turn from you."_

_I shook my head. "I don't understand—"_

"_Come now, Lady Cronqvist!" now __Lady __Bedivere was impatient with me. "Please do not act ignorant! Our husbands converse together as lordships to battle for land and for God. But when away from home, they do not rest alone."_

"_Lady __Bedivere!" I cried, completely aghast at this conversation. "Do not speak this way!"_

"_I cannot keep silent about this. Our husbands take the vows we do. They swear monogamy in the name of God as we do. But they do not follow this as we do." She paused for a long moment before she continued. "Aland has strayed from me. He has bedded a woman who now carries his child. And as his wife I must be still and obey his word, to never question him." She let out a sad sigh. "And this is why I envy you."_

"…_Why?" I asked quietly. Her words greatly distressed me. I knew many lords took mistresses. I knew of one lord who had beaten his wife on the suspicion she had lain with a servant boy, even though __**he **__had committed adultery against her. It was a very sensitive subject that I never wanted to address._

"_Because of Lord Cronqvist," __Lady __Bedivere responded. Her tone had become quiet. "I've heard Aland speak of this, but he is not shy in his feelings for you. He will not bed another when away from home, no matter how lonely he is. And he speaks of you very often to the other lords, whereas __**they **__don't discuss their wives. He freely and openly speaks about how much he misses you, how much he misses home, and how he cannot wait to see you again." __Lady __Bedivere folded her hands into her lap. "This is a man who chose you for marriage specifically for love. Who gave up a share of his wealth to have you. There is not a lord in this land who has ever done this, and there probably never will be another. You will never have to face these trials I face because your husband loves you, Lady Cronqvist."_

_I didn't know how to respond to her words. I didn't want anyone to envy me and I was sorry that her marriage was not a pleasant one. At the same time though, her words gave me an overwhelming sense of peace. I'd never worried about Mathias's behavior, but to know that the gossip about him was his loyalty to me made me so incredibly happy._

_Before I could say anything more, there was a knock on the parlor door and a servant entered. "Forgive the intrusion, but Lord Cronqvist has returned home."_

"_Oh!!" I quickly jumped to my feet and Lady Bedivere rose up as well. "I must greet him then!"_

_Lady Bedivere rose to her feet as well and followed me out into the entry hall. I brushed out the skirt of my dress, trying to look presentable, but I could barely contain my excitement. Mathias was home!! I couldn't wait to see him!!_

_He came inside moments later. His face was rather pale and he looked gaunt and exhausted. How hard was he working? It seemed like he would collapse at any moment. But he brushed himself off easily enough and straightened. When his eyes met mine, his energy seemed to return to him._

"_Elisabetha!!" He hurried over to me and swept me into his arms. "I've come home!"_

"_W-Welcome home, Mathias," I said awkwardly, returning his embrace. Mathias wasn't shy in showing affection for me, even in the presence of our servants and Lady Bedivere. "I've missed you."_

"_And I you." He gave me a peck on the cheek before he released me. "Oh! Lady Bedivere! I didn't notice you before…I hope you'll forgive me." He bowed civilly to her. "How very nice to see you again."_

"_It's nice to see you too, Lord Cronqvist," Lady Bedivere answered. Her tone sounded clipped and her lips were pressed together tightly. I could see she was clearly upset and I felt embarrassed. "If you'll excuse me, I must be going now."_

"_Thank you for visiting," I said, seeing her to the door. Lady Bedivere seemed to be in a hurry to leave and didn't speak or look at me as she left. I couldn't help but feel sympathy for her, but I was only happier for my own situation. Mathias came home specifically to see me and he spoke of me while he was away…I knew I was very lucky._

_And he never hesitated to tell me what he was up to. "There is talk," he began excitedly, pouring himself a glass of wine. "Of an expedition. We've received word that his Holiness is growing disgruntled with the treatment of the Holy Land. He…we might be able to take it back."_

"_Is that so?" I asked. I felt a familiar twinge in my throat and I tried to ignore it. "Has his Holiness spoken about it?"_

"_At the moment it's just a rumor. But there is no denying that Jerusalem and the Holy Land are currently under occupation by those who don't believe in its significance. Many believe that our Heavenly Father would not want the sacred land in which His Son was born to be overrun by non-believers."_

"_It all sounds quite…" I couldn't ignore the twinge any longer and was overcome by another coughing fit._

_Mathias poured me a glass of wine and pressed it into my hand. "Are you all right, Elisabetha?"_

_I sipped the wine, even though the cough didn't quite go away. "Don't worry about me. I must be thirsty, is all." I drank a little more and the twinge finally went away. "There. Everything's fine now."_

_Mathias was silent for a long moment before he nodded. "Be careful though, okay? The snow has melted, but the air is still very cold."_

_I nodded and managed a smile. "I do not get sick easily, Mathias, but I can keep to indoors for a few days."_

_Mathias laughed with me and took up one of my hands. "God has been fortunate to me with this life that I lead. I know that He will be fortunate to a good woman like you."_

---

Yoko had left the room by the time I woke up, but my door was wide open and I could hear several conversations going on downstairs. It was growing dark out, though I could still see some sunlight outside. I'd slept the entire day away.

I got out of bed and changed into a fresh pair of clothes. I don't know why I didn't do this before, especially since these clothes had been shredded. As I pulled another sweater over my head, I was hit by a sudden coughing fit. My throat felt very dry and thankfully there was a glass of water sitting on my desk. I drank about half the glass and I felt significantly better afterwards.

_At least you're not sick._

For some reason, that simple thought made my body go cold. I wouldn't be surprised if I DID catch a cold from the stress of this situation, but why did this thought make me so uncomfortable?

"_Be careful though, okay? The snow has melted, but the air is still very cold."_

I raised a hand to my head and slowly sank into my chair. This whole situation was…weird. These sorts of dreams weren't uncommon, and I'd never told anyone about them, not even Soma. Now…now I was having them every single day. And unlike before, which seemed like vague patches of sequences, it seemed like whole situations were occurring that I wasn't even interacting in.

It was still odd, though. The dreams were becoming more vivid and complete just around the time that all of this craziness started. Was there a link between them? The thought made me feel so uncomfortable that I tried to disregard anymore thoughts about it. No, there couldn't be a link. These were just _dreams_. The nature was so pleasant and happy, I must be relying on them somewhat to cope with my current situation. That had to be it.

"Mina!!" Mom called for me from downstairs. "Are you awake?"

"Yes!!" I yelled back down to her. Linking the dreams and this mess was stupid; I wouldn't even bother bringing it up to anyone.

As I headed downstairs, I quickly recognized Hammer's voice. Excitement shot through me as I hurried down the rest of the way. Everyone was gathered in the living room and I was very aware that the conversations were ceasing in there. I didn't care at the moment and hurried inside.

"Hey, long time no see!!!"

It _was _Hammer. He looked a lot more exhausted than Julius did, but he looked glad to see me. Unfortunately, a quick scan of the room showed that he was the only new arrival. Soma would be the last to arrive.

I tried not to look or sound too disappointed as I greeted him. "I'm glad to see you, Hammer-san."

"And I'm glad to be glad here." He sighed heavily and reclined back into the couch. "I tell ya, I had one _hell _of a crazy flight!!!"

"So you were attacked to?!" I cried. "Just like Julius-san?!"

"And it _had _to be a pretty face, too. I won the fight of course, but she scared the shit out of most of the passengers. Had some people thinking she was a hijacker, or something, and some even tried to help me. But she teleported right out of there; nearly blew a hole in the side of the plane."

Both Julius and Hammer were attacked by this group right in the middle of their flight. But what about Soma?

Arikado seemed to read my thoughts. "Unfortunately we've not been able to reach Soma. He's not answering his phone but that can mean anything. He might still be on the plane, or—"

"I get it, I understand," I interrupted. I slowly ventured into the room and took a seat on an ottoman. "Let me call…" I pulled out my cell phone and dialed him up. Everyone remained quiet and waited.

They didn't have long to wait. "Straight to voice mail…" I slapped the phone shut, trying very hard not to feel uneasy. Cell phone calls on airplanes were prohibited, so of course he couldn't answer his phone. But Julius and Hammer were attacked midflight. The chances that Soma was attacked were high, especially with whom he truly was.

_He can handle it. He's powerful and he's stopped loads of these weirdoes before. He can stop these guys._

But I still felt worried.

Arikado stirred, as though he were about to say something. Before he could, a tiny demon sprite appeared out of thin air and whispered quickly into his ear. His face lit up with alarm and he shot to his feet. "They're coming!!!"

"But the wards—" began Mom.

She didn't finish. The wall directly behind me exploded. By instinct I dove forward to get away from the blast, but I didn't get very far. Something grabbed the back of my shirt. It felt like three talon claws and it yanked me to my feet.

"MINA!!!!!" Mom shrieked.

A spear filled my vision, the blade hovering just under my chin. Terror began to grip me, but I didn't scream. I didn't want to alarm whatever it was that held me.

Mom looked panicked, but Dad looked like he was ready to fight. Everyone else but Arikado had drawn weapons. Arikado however simply stepped forward until he was five feet away from us.

"Slogra," he said neutrally. "It's pretty impressive that you bypassed so many barriers to get in here."

Slogra, whoever or whatever was behind me, made a weird croaking noise and only pulled me back more. I stiffened and recoiled from it as best as I could, which wasn't by a whole much. The spear lowered just a little more until the blade was just over my throat.

"You already know, don't you?" asked Arikado, his tone still calm. He took another step towards us. "You know and yet you're still doing this."

Know what? I knew it had something to do with me, but I just wanted both this spear and Slogra to get away from me. Neither was happening.

Slogra didn't seem intimidated by Arikado's words. It hissed and began moving back, pulling me with him. I was scared, but I was comforted knowing that my parents and everyone else was there. Maybe nothing would come of this?

No…I really was scared.

_Soma…_I swallowed thickly as Slogra pulled me from the living room and through the wall to outside. _What's going on? Are you facing this right now? I don't know what to do…_

Everyone followed us outside hesitantly, probably waiting to see what Slogra might do before acting. Mom looked like she was trying really hard not to cry, making it even more difficult to look at her.

"Do you think you'll get far?" Arikado asked suddenly. "What will you accomplish by doing this, other than invoking wrath upon yourself?" His face started to cloud over. "I've defeated you before and I can certainly defeat you again."

Slogra let out a piercing roar that sounded like a mutilated bird. I cried out and tried to cover my ears, but I couldn't raise my hands. What was going to happen?

It was then I heard it.

"_Cease and desist."_

I saw the reactions of everyone at this voice, but I didn't have time to turn. Suddenly something forceful slammed into the both of us. I landed hard on my knees while Slogra was sent flying further across the yard, screaming in pain. Just before he hit the dirt a dark shadow fell over us. A winged demon with an ugly purple body grasped him with his feet and quickly took off into the air. I stared at them dumbly for a long moment, unable to believe that this crisis was over so quickly.

"Are you all right, Mina?"

I snapped to attention at that voice. Tears began to sting my eyes and my heart began beating very quickly. I quickly climbed to my feet and turned around. The shock of seeing him was so great I couldn't contain myself.

"_Soma_!!!!" he was there and though he looked very tired he looked fine, healthy. He was whole, he was alive…he was home.

I hurried over to him and threw my arms around him with such force it nearly knocked him off his feet. After a long moment his arms slid around the small of my back and we just hugged each other tightly. It was the greatest comfort in the world to feel his breath on my cheek and to hear his voice say so softly, "I'm home, Mina."


	6. Part 6

Part 6

If there was anything more defining I could remember about Soma Cruz, it would be his smell. I knew him more as a shy boy who was cute despite his pale features; and even cuter once he cracked a smile.

But his smell…it was a subtly masculine but comforting natural musk. With my nose buried into my neck it made me feel safe, and more aware of him and presence. And he was home!! He came home and he saved me!!

I couldn't stop crying, even though I knew it would only upset him. "Soma…" I squeezed him tighter. "I'm so glad to see you!!"

"I'm glad to see you too, Mina." To my disappointed he began to pull away from me. It took a lot of effort on his part to break my hug, but then he was looking into my face. "I'm so sorry this is happening…" Up close I could definitely see how tired and stressed he was. He already had enough to worry about; he shouldn't have to worry about this!!

I quickly shook my head and forced a smile, even through my tears. "This is no different than what you face, Soma. If you can do it, so can I!!" _I hope so…_

My words did little to make Soma feel better, though. "Still…" His brow furrowed and he looked away.

"Soma." Arikado spoke before I could respond to Soma. I felt him come up beside me. "I see you've made it."

"Just in time, it looks like," he said wearily. He looked around the shrine yard. "How was Slogra able to get in here? Didn't you reinforce the wards?"

"I did," said Arikado, his voice plain. "But he, Gaibon, and a ghost were able to penetrate them. They're incredibly weak demons—having had to be reanimated dozens of times—and so it's quite surprising they made it through. Whoever sent them here must be very powerful."

"…Maybe," said Soma. "But they might not be stronger than me."

"Correct."

"Then I'll have to do something about it." Suddenly, Soma cupped his hands together. After a few moments a burst of energy exploded from them and I had to shield my eyes. It didn't last too long and the area dimmed once more.

"...Still making modifications?" asked Arikado, a smile springing to his lips.

"Was that Final Guard?!" Yoko cried suddenly, running over to us. "Did you just cast the Final Guard shield _on the shrine_?!"

Soma shrugged simply. "It's a pretty wasted weapon if it only shields me. I've been tampering around with it extend it out to other people."

So that was how Arikado was able to leave Soma alone to wrap up their mission. Soma had told me about the Final Guard before; he'd almost died obtaining it from the monster of the same name, which he'd believed was invincible. But once he obtained it and equipped it, many monsters that came at him literally exploded when they came in contact with it.

Hammer looked beyond pleased. "Can you modify _any _weapons?! I could make a fortune selling enchanted weaponry to the Army!!!"

This caused a lot of laughter from most of us. Not everyone was laughing, though Arikado wasn't exactly a glaring exception. I looked over my shoulder to smile at my parents and saw it was _them _who weren't laughing. Mom stilled looked pretty terrified, but Dad was looking at Soma. His expression was stony and that surprised me greatly. He'd always gotten along with Soma before, so why was he upset?

"—flight in?" I caught the tail-end of Julius's question, but I knew immediately what he meant.

And Soma had a quick answer. "I didn't enjoy going through layovers for a day, but otherwise I faced no problems." He looked at everyone. "Why?"

"Hammer and I were ambushed during our flights," said Julius matter-of-factly. He waved a dismissive hand at the stricken look on Soma's face. "Neither of us was hurt, but our foes were stupid enough to try to attack us mid-flight."

"It's too bad, too," grumbled Hammer. "The chick who attacked me was pretty hot—not as hot as YOU though, Yoko."

Yoko rolled her eyes and laughed. "Thanks, I think."

"And nobody attacked you, Soma?" asked Arikado.

Soma shook his head. "I didn't face any problems at all."

"That's wonderful!!" I burst out suddenly, startling everyone. "You made it here in peace…I'm glad you weren't in any further danger!!"

Soma rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand and smile ruefully. "The worst just might get started, Mina."

"I know, but—"

A ringtone cut me off. It sounded like it was coming from Soma's pocket.

"…Are you expecting phone calls?" asked Arikado.

"No." Soma pulled the phone out and looked at the caller I.D. "And I don't recognize this number." He flipped the phone open and answered it. "Hello?"

We all waited in silence and I strained to hear the other caller. Soma's face held no recognition in it, indicating he didn't know who called him.

"Are you sure about that?" he said finally after a long moment of silence. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "If that's what you want." He slapped the phone shut and thrust it back into his pocket. "Arikado-san."

"What did they say?" I asked, but Soma didn't look at me. Arikado stepped forward and they walked away from us, talking quietly. "Wait—Soma!!"

I started walking towards them, but a hand caught my arm. "Let them handle this, Mina."

"But Yoko-san—" I turned to glance at her. "Soma—"

"Everyone." Soma's voice cut me off and I turned to face him. His face had become hardened. "Arikado-san and I need to leave for a little while. We'll be back soon, though."

"L-Leave?!" I cried, pulling myself free and running over to him. "But you just landed, Soma!! You might have jet lag!! You're not ready for a fight!!"

"I _definitely _have jet lag!!" Hammer announced unhelpfully behind me.

Soma forced a smile and touched my cheek with his hand. "Don't worry Mina, I work like this all the time. Besides, I'm not rushing off to fight; we're investigating this call."

"But who called?!" I demanded.

"We don't know," said Arikado. "They claim to be an ally, but they might really be with this organization."

"If it's an ambush, then why are you meeting them?!"

"Because our combined force can stop them if they ARE an enemy. Once we defeat them, they can provide us some…_useful _information about this organization targeting you."

"But YOU might be their real target, Soma!!!"

"Yeah," said Soma. "But I'm not going to back down."

"Should one of us go with you?" asked Julius.

"No," said Arikado, looking over my shoulder at him. "The Final Guard has a high success rate, but if it fails Mina will need protection."

"That won't be a problem," said Dad hastily. "I won't let those monsters touch my daughter again!!"

I looked at Soma and sighed. "I can't talk you out of this, can I?"

"…I'm sorry, Mina," was all he offered me.

I sighed again and nodded. "Then go out and meet with this mystery person and hurry up back here."

"Don't worry, Mina," said Yoko in a teasing voice. "Soma will be sure to race home to you, as always!!"

"Y-Yoko-san!!!" I sputtered, covering my face.

Everyone got a good laugh out of this and Arikado and Soma prepared to leave. Soma triple-checked the wards and was confident in their strength.

"I'll go ahead and bring my car around," said Arikado. He started down the stairs ahead of Soma.

"Can I walk down with you?" I asked, grabbing his sleeve.

"Uh—" began Mom.

"Don't worry," assured Yoko. "The shield includes the entrance of the shrine."

Mom looked at her for a long moment and then looked at me. "I'm coming with you." She rushed over to my side.

"Mom, I'm twenty-two!!!" I complained. "I don't need—"

"I'm coming too," interjected Dad, also walking over.

"But—"

"Why don't we ALL go?" offered Yoko. "And we can all see them off?"

"I…don't think that's necessary," said Soma.

But, in the end we were all walking down the steps. Soma took the lead and I followed directly behind him, though my parents had me sandwiched between them. It was incredibly embarrassing, but I was inwardly glad they showed so much concern for me.

Arikado—and his car—were waiting for us at the gate. "Are you ready, Soma?"

Soma nodded. "Let's get this over with." He turned to look at us…most particularly, _me_. "We'll be back soon."

I nodded and smiled. "Be careful, okay?"

"I will." Soma turned towards Arikado.

I slipped past my parents and followed him a couple of steps, past the shrine gate. "Soma, I want to talk to you when you get back."

Soma turned to look at me. "Absol—"

He didn't finish, or rather, I didn't hear him finish. Something hard and forceful exploded across the side of my head, as though I'd been sucker-punched. Soma's stunned face was the last thing I saw before my vision filled with stars and then darkness.

---

_Oh...mayhap I shouldn't have left the house. I was certain this ache in my head would be suppressed by the chilly wind, but now I feel like I might swoon._

_The twinge in my throat was now even more familiar to me and I had practice pulling out my handkerchief to cover my mouth as I coughed. My throat was dry but the sound that came out was wet. My body began shaking with each cough._

"_...Milady?" my maidservant sounded very concerned. "Are you all right to go out this evening?"_

_I forced a nod and waved a hand at her. "I-I shall be fine. Come, Mathias is waiting for me."_

_That was right. Tonight was important for Mathias and I couldn't tarry or miss it. Thankfully, Leon's house was quite warm and he would surely accommodate me until I had to leave._

_He didn't live very far away from us, but the ride to his house seemed like an eternity. With each rattle of the carriage my vision blurred. I covered my mouth again with the handkerchief, but not because I needed to cough again. When Mathias saw me he would surely be furious, and not because I arrived to the engagement party of his best friend sick. I wouldn't stay long; just long enough to greet Leon and his would-be bride and then I would retire home._

_We were greeted at the doorstep of the Belmont estate and a footman helped me down. I immediately began shivering against the early evening chill, even though it wasn't actually very cold outside, and as if sensing my disposition the footman ushered me through the front door. I just couldn't believe I could allow myself to get so sick. The cough only came to me several weeks ago and I'd kept to indoors as Mathias bade me to do. I would drink hot tea and warm wine to stave it off and I would go to bed early and rise later after a full-night's rest. Nay...my nights weren't so restful, even though I would be to bed as early as right after supper. I woke up constantly with coughing fits and no matter how much I drank to clear it up it would always return. Mathias wasn't home enough these days to see the worst of it, but I could tell what he __**has **__seen has worried him. On nights he came home to me he would sit up with me and comfort me, refusing even to bed elsewhere or even send me to another room. The risk of him catching my cold was high, but it didn't seem to bother him. He would simply sit up with me and hold me, trying to lull me to sleep by reading to me or reciting from the Bible. He was trying very hard to be strong for me but I could sense his worry that I wasn't getting better, even as the weather cleared up and the air grew warm._

_My maidservant watched me closely as we were escorted into the house. There was a lively cheer about the place; minstrels were playing joyous tunes and guests were talking and laughing and some were singing along with the songs. It lifted my spirits somewhat and it helped to clear my head slightly. Mayhap some lively activity will help me greatly tonight?_

_Mathias hadn't been at the front door to greet me, but I didn't have to go far to find him. I'd barely left the entrance hall and he was quickly at my side. "How fares you tonight, Elisabetha?"_

_I forced a smile at him. "I shall be fine, Mathias. My cough is not as bad as it once was." I felt my maidservant shift slightly from my blatant lie, but she said nothing._

_Mathias looked at me for a long moment before he reluctantly nodded. "I blame myself for this. Better or not you are still not in the fit of health. I feel I put too much pressure on you to come here tonight."_

_I shook my head at him and my smile slid into a more genuine one. "Lord Belmont is your dearest friend, Mathias, and I in turn owe him a great deal. I would be most ashamed if I missed his engagement party, especially knowing how hard he's fought for his betrothed."_

_Mathias's mouth thinned slightly. "Aye, it was a shame Lord Trantoul would not part with his daughter without much convincing. But Leon would have no other than Lady Sara and his force of will won out."_

_I laughed a little to myself. "Sounds quite familiar, doesn't it Mathias?"_

_Mathias laughed heartily and pulled me closer to him. "Indeed it does."_

_Mathias's presence comforted me, but it did little to clear my head. We entered the main dining hall, filled with various nobles from all across the region. It was really no surprise, for the Belmonts were a very celebrated family._

_Leon spotted us and quickly hurried over. "Mathias!! I see your lady has made it!!" As he drew nearer he had a closer look at me and the smile left his face. "Lady Elisabetha, are you well? Your complexion is very pale."_

_I nodded and forced a smile again, not wanting to ruin the cheerful atmosphere. "Thank you for your concern, Lord Belmont, but I'm quite fine."_

_Leon exchanged a long look for Mathias in silence before he spoke again. "I shall try not to overdue the celebrations tonight. 'Tis only an engagement party, after all, and the most celebrating can wait until after my wedding."_

"_Don't you mind me, Lord Belmont," I implored, touching him gently on the arm. "It would be a shame to deny Lady Trantoul a worthy celebration."_

_But Leon only smiled at me. "Sara is quite known for her gentle subtleties. A party as outlandish as this one most surely will be is quite unsuited for her."_

"_And where is she at now?" asked Mathias. "I would like to greet her."_

"_Oh, she's hiding from all the people. Hold on, I'll go get her." Leon smiled at us again before he left._

_Mathias guided me around the perimeter of the room, avoiding the cluster of nobles. "I would much prefer a small gathering as well, as we had for our engagement party."_

"_We were in too much of a rush; methinks, to be wed to care much of our engagement party. Father was the insistent one…" The twinge returned and I barely covered my mouth before another coughing fit hit me._

_Mathias pulled me close and looked into my face. My vision was blurring, but I saw his concern grow in his eyes. "Your cheeks are becoming flushed, Elisabetha. Are you feverish?"_

"_M-Mathias…" I tried to respond, but my coughing only grew worse. I tried to turn away so that I might not cough on him, but Mathias held me fast. Unmindful of manners he pulled off a glove with his teeth and I felt his warm palm against my forehead._

"_Elisabetha…you're burning up!!" his tone was soft, but his voice was full of alarm. "You must rest at once!!"_

_I quickly shook my head and tried to smile. "L-Lord Belmont—"_

"_Leon won't mind if you get to bed early. Here." He guided me to a free seat and sat me down. "Wait here and I'll fetch our carriage." He kissed my brow as though he cared little for my cold, or who might witness such intimacy, and was quickly gone._

_I felt his absence immediately and I felt as though the room might close in on me. Other patrons began to notice my state and crowded around me to ask me how I was. I felt so dizzy, even while sitting down, and the air…oh, I felt that I couldn't breathe!!_

"_M-Milady!!" I hadn't noticed or realized that I'd begun to sway in my seat. My maidservant grabbed my arm quickly and held on tightly. Even so, she was a small girl and I was very sick…and the room was spinning and the faces around me were melting together, like a paint smear…_

_And it's...everything's black. My body feels weightless and yet so heavy at the same time. What is going on?_

"_**Lord Jesus Christ, You chose to share our human nature, to redeem all people, and to heal the sick. With this in mind I beg You to look with compassion on Your humble servant Elisabetha, support her with Your power, comfort her with Your protection, and give her the strength needed to fight against evil. Since You have given Elisabetha, a share in Your own passion, help her to find hope in suffering for You, Jesus."**_

_Ah...what a lovely prayer. I knew it to be the prayer for the sick. But who was sick? Wait...it was my name being spoken. I was the one who was sick. No doubt this prayer was for me._

"_**Dear Jesus, Divine Physician and Healer of the Sick, I turn to You in this time of illness. O dearest Comforter of the troubled, alleviate my worry and sorrow with Your gentle love, and grant me the grace and strength to accept this burden. Dear God, I place my sick under Your care and humbly ask that You restore Your servant Elisabetha to health again. Above all, grant me the grace to acknowledge Your holy will and know that whatsoever You do, You do for the love of us. Amen."**_

_This one...and the voice...it was Mathias praying. He was praying so desperately, and all for my sake. He sounded so tired and so sad...I must open my eyes and see him!!_

"_Oh Lord...I have been your most faithful servant. I have fought for your sake, I have never broken my marital vows made in your House, and my faith and love in you has never wavered. Never have I asked anything of you, but now. Please...please grant Elisabetha your grace!!!" the voice…Mathias…was so sad…choked up… "Please guide her in the restoration of her health!! Please...I beg of you, do not take her from me!! I will spill my own life's blood for her sake, but please spare her!! I will do anything if it would mean she lived!! I will free Jerusalem with my bare hands if need be!! I will sell all of my estates and live a pauper if only her fever would break!! Please...please..."_

_I finally managed to get my eyes open. "...Mathias?"_

_There he was. He was kneeling deep in prayer on the floor, but now his body jerked up and he raced over to me. "Elisabetha?!"_

_His face was so pale and gaunt. It distressed me greatly to see him like this. "Are you all right?" I asked quietly, reaching out a hand to him. It took a great deal of energy to do this._

_Mathias quickly captured my hand. "You inquire of __**my**__ health, Elisabetha? When you..." he quickly his head and looked away. Now that he was closer I could see that his eyes were bloodshot and swollen, as though he'd been weeping a great deal._

_I squeezed my fingers around his hand. "You look so tired, Mathias. Why don't you try getting some sleep?"_

"_I..."Mathias hesitated for a moment before he ran his fingers through my hair. "I'll be all right, Elisabetha. Don't worry about me; concentrate on yourself and get better."_

"_I will, but…" I closed my eyes and opened them. "What about Lord Belmont? And the engagement party? I ruined it."_

_Mathias shook his head at me. "You ruined nothing, Elisabetha. Your collapse just frightened a few people, is all." He dipped his head suddenly and wouldn't look at me. "I'm afraid…" he paused before he continued. "There's something I must tell you."_

"_What is it?"_

"_Leon's engagement party was rushed because…he has to go away. We both do. His Holiness has made the official declaration that he wants the Holy Land free. As nobles—more so, as servants of God—we can do no more than join this fight. This…Crusade."_

_So that was why he vowed to free Jerusalem for my health. I was surprised he hadn't told me this, but I knew my illness preoccupied him and he didn't want me to worry for him."_

_Mathias continued talking. "However, things have changed. You have fallen ill and I refuse to leave you like this. Leon understands—"_

"_You won't go?!" I broke in suddenly. "But…the Pope has commissioned this!! This isn't just some plot of land…it is the Holy Land!! The birthplace of Christ, our Lord!! Mathias, you…" I felt faint again, even while lying down._

_Mathias grabbed my shoulders. "Do not stress yourself, Elisabetha."_

_But I wouldn't stop. "Mathias…you've spoken of this for so long. I know how much this means to you to fight for God. Please, do not let my disposition stop you." I was becoming breathless, but I smiled at him. "Please…I'll be all right. Give me a few days and I'll be back to my old self."_

"_Elisabetha." He leaned his face close to mine. "I cannot leave you like this."_

"_It's really no bother, Mathias. I've been sick before and I'll surely be sick again. There's nothing to worry about."_

_Mathias was silent for a long time. Finally, he leaned closer and kissed me. "I shall do this, Elisabetha, only because I know you will not forgive me if I stay behind."_

"_Thank you, Mathias. Just trust me and trust in God. I'll be better before you know it."_

"_**Boil this chirayata in water and filter it out. If you drink it twice a day before meals, your fever will disappear."**_

_What? That didn't sound like Mathias's voice. Or even a man's voice. It was a woman, but what sort of woman spoke of chirayata?_

_  
­_---

"…Mina?"

My eyes felt weird and my head hurt. After a moment I felt a powerful force over me and the worst of the ache vanished. But my eyes still felt the same.

"Mina, are you all right?"

It took me a while to get my eyes open and once I did I realized why they felt weird. Tears were sliding down my cheeks. I was crying…and it probably had nothing to do with whatever knocked me out.

"Are you all right?" repeated Yoko, leaning over me. It took me a moment to realize I was lying on the shrine steps…inside the gate.

"…Yes, I'm fine," I answered groggily, slowly sitting up.

"Mina!!" Mom was at my side in an instant and threw her arms around me. "Oh, Mina!!"

"What happened?" I looked around at everyone.

"Somebody attacked you," said Julius.

"It was that hottie who attacked me on the airplane," added Hammer. "When you walked past the gate you accidentally stepped outside the wards."

"The important thing is," interjected Arikado suddenly. "Is that you're all right. Isn't that right, Soma?"

"…Yeah." My head snapped up at this. I probably wasn't out for too long, but Soma sounded absolutely exhausted. And he _looked _exhausted, too. His hair was disheveled and his white coat was lopsided on his shoulders. Even if it'd been a quick skirmish he looked like he'd faced some giant demon.

Most of all…he wasn't looking at me.

I started to stand up. "Soma—"

"Don't!!" Mom snapped, sitting me back down. "You're not leaving the wards again!!"

"But—"

"We've been delayed enough," said Arikado. "We really need to go now."

Soma nodded and straightened his coat. "Right." He walked over to the passenger side.

"Soma!!" I cried. "Please take care of yourself!! And please come back quickly!!"

Soma had opened the door, but now he stopped. He raised his head and finally looked at me and managed a small smile. "I will, Mina." Then they got into the car and drove off.

"Let's go back into the shrine," said Dad.

We made the long climb up the stairs. I hurried up to climb in stride with Yoko. "Why wasn't Soma looking at me?"

"He probably feels guilty about the attack on you," was all she offered me.

"That woman probably weirded him out, too," said Hammer. "After he—"

But Yoko and Julius shot him looks and he stopped. "I-I mean…when she left, she called him 'Master'."

"'Master'? As in Dracula?"

"She said 'We'll meet again, Master'," said Julius. "I'm sure that's unnerved him as much as the attack."

_So these guys really DO want Soma. But why are they trying to kill me in the process?_

We reached the top of the steps. Another thought came to me, although it was stupid, and I quickly stopped Yoko. "Yoko-san?"

"What is it?" she asked.

"Um…what's chirayata?"

Her face twisted up in confusion. "Chirayata?"

"I think it's a plant. Have you heard of it?"

"Uh—"

"Chirayata is an old healing plant grown in the East," Julius cut in suddenly. "Apothecaries and doctors would brew it as a tea and give it to those with high fevers or stomach problems. Why do you ask?"

_Doctors give it out? _The thought caused an odd sensation to form in my stomach. But I quickly shook my head. "No reason."

Both of them stared at me for a long moment and I felt embarrassed. Did I say something wrong?

Finally, Julius spoke. "Let's go back inside and wait for them to return."


	7. Part 7

Sorry for the wait. Here's the latest chapter.

Part 7

**"_Chirayata_**_,__** also known as Indian gentian is a robust annual herb which grows unto about 1.5 meters in height. It has leaves in opposite pairs about 10 cm long, without stalks, pointed at the rip. The plant has numerous flowers, pale green in color, tinged with purple, with long white or pink hairs and minute sharp pointed fruits. The whole plant, collected in its flowering stage and dried, constitutes the drug. The trade name **_**_chirayata_**_** is based on the local name of the plant. It has long been used by the Aurvedic physicians as a bitter tonic.**_

"_**Chirayata is an effective drug for reducing fevers. It is especially beneficial in the treatment of malarial fevers. It is also effective in hysteria and convulsions."**_

I sighed heavily and logged off the website. So it really WAS a healing herb. I didn't exactly doubt Julius and Yoko, but it seemed odd that I would think of an herb I'd never even heard of.

"_Boil this chirayata in water and filter it out. If you drink it twice a day before meals, your fever will disappear."_

The whole dream itself was weird, but that sudden cut-in of advice was even weirder. Elisabetha had been a literate noblewoman, but as far as I knew she didn't know anything about chirayata or healing plants. Nobody else had been present in the room with Mathias and Elisabetha. So where did that woman's voice come from?

I sat still in my chair suddenly. Mathias and Elisabetha…it was the first time I was acknowledging them and not just referential to the dreams. I didn't know them, and it puzzled me that I could understand their speech when they weren't speaking Japanese. And Mathias…he seemed familiar to me, too. He had a very distinct look to him, a typical tall, dark, and handsome European man. But his presence…I felt like I knew him, even though he was just part of a dream.

I loaded up an internet search engine and typed in 'Mathias…' how do I write his last name? The people in the dream pronounced it as 'Cronk-vist', but was that how it was spelled.

I didn't really need to worry, though. My fingers worked for me and typed in 'Cronqvist'. It seemed like an odd spelling to me, but I decided to go with it and hit 'search'. Unfortunately, outside of a few miscellaneous links and a mish-mash of words, there was nothing on Mathias.

I typed in Elisabetha's name, only to yield the same results. Should it surprise me, though? I never studied European history, but I'd never heard of their names outside of the dreams.

Dreams…I typed in 'weird dreams' in the search engine. I got thousands of links in response, most of which were related to a Scandinavian group called Weird Dreams. But as I skimmed the rather long list I noticed a trend. Many links had the same common theme: reincarnation.

I leaned back in my chair. In the past I never believed in reincarnation, and Shintoism never taught me such. But once I found out that Soma was Count Dracula, I began to have doubts. Dracula after all had been a monster from the past. How else could he be a teenage boy?

_But Soma never had dreams about being Dracula before he awakened. Seeing your past in dreams almost seems cliché, doesn't it? Even so…how else can I explain what's happening to me?_

I sighed heavily and stared at the ceiling. The house was quiet as most everyone had gone to bed. Since I'd slept the whole day away I wasn't tired, not even by the injury I'd sustained. Thankfully since Soma had put up his shielding spell nothing had come to harass me. I didn't know who I might be able to talk about this, and there was enough going on without weird dreams being thrown into the mix.

Maybe it _wasn't _reincarnation. Maybe it was some other phenomenon going on.

My cell phone began ringing suddenly, startling me. I immediately grabbed it and looked at the caller I.D. Unknown number. It wasn't Soma, but who else would call me?

_Maybe it's those guys that are trying to kill me!! _I swallowed thickly as the phone rang in my hand. After a few more moments it stopped and let out my breath. It shook again suddenly as another ringtone emitted from it, but it wasn't for voicemail; it was for text messaging. Unable to help myself, I opened the phone and checked my messages.

"_I can see you." _Unknown number.

I quickly jumped up and ran to my window. It was still very dark outside and I couldn't see anything. Did these monsters break through the shields?

No, they couldn't have. _Soma _put them up. I looked to the sky and I saw it was clear. But they _could've _seen me from up there, or from a distance. I scoffed and slammed the curtains shut. Maybe they sent that message because they couldn't harass me in person.

_Or maybe something happened with Soma and they're mocking you._

I shook my head. Soma and Arikado hadn't returned yet, but that meant nothing. Whomever they're meeting might be taking more time than they originally thought. And if it was some enemy, they couldn't possibly stand up to this combined force, could they? No, of course not.

My cell phone rang again. Still no number was listed. I turned off the ringer and tossed it on my bed. Never mind those idiots. I had to be strong, no matter how little this situation made sense to me.

My text message ring came on, but I ignored it. I still wasn't tired and so I tried to busy myself with random internet browsing. Checking emails, watch music videos…

My text message ringtone sang again, this time without somebody trying to call. I still tried to ignore it and keep busy with useless activities…

It rang again. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and rang back over to pick it up. They all had the same sender: 'Unknown Number'. Now I was just plain irritated as I opened all three up.

"_Closing your curtains won't stop us."_

"_Do you know what Lord Dracula is doing right now?"_

"_We will call again at 3:47. If you don't pick up you'll be sorry."_

I was still angry, but a stab of fear began to consume me. What did they mean by what "Lord Dracula" was doing?! His name is _Soma_!!!

And 3:47? I looked at my alarm clock. 3:46 am. What do I do? I don't want to talk to these people!!! But what will happen if I don't pick up? Will they hurt Soma and Arikado? Or will they break through the shield and attack me?

No…I wasn't alone in this. There was a house full of people who could help me. I ran to my bedroom door and flung it open. "Mo—"

My cell phone started ringing. I spun around and looked at the clock. 3:47, right on the dot.

But I didn't race to pick it up. I just stared at it as it rang for a second time. Now there wasn't time to get somebody. What do I do?

It rang a third time. I forced myself to move and quickly grabbed it. "What do you want?!"

"_So I got your attention this time, missus?"_ It was him. That same male, raspy voice that called me on New Years Eve.

"What do you want?" I repeated harshly, sitting down on the bed.

"_I believe you know the answer to that."_

"You're trying to k-kill me." I couldn't help but stammer out the word. "Why?"

He didn't answer me for a long time. When finally did answer, it was a very chilly response. _"Why are you trying, missus?"_

"Excuse me?"

"_What are your intentions? You had your chance and you blew it. So why are you trying now?"_

"Trying WHAT?!?!" I hollered. "I don't know what you're talking about!!!!"

"Mina?!" I heard Yoko's voice from the stairs.

The man hissed out laughter on the other line. _"It doesn't matter. We're going to stop you. It's the only way HE will come back."_ Then the line disconnected.

Yoko rushed into my room. "Mina, what's the matter?!"

I just sighed and closed my phone. "I don't know. They just won't leave me alone…"

---

"_I've contacted your cell phone provider. So far they've reported it to be a blocked number, but they're investigating it. With any luck we'll be able to find out and track down the bastard who called you."_

I was thankful for Hammer's connections, but I had doubts they would be able to successfully trace the call.

"Is there anything else, Mina?" asked Julius, folding his arms over his chest.

Suddenly, I _did _find myself with a question for him. "Julius-san, do you know who Leon Belmont was?" Maybe he wouldn't know the Cronqvists, but he _definitely _would know a real Belmont, right?

Julius for his part looked absolutely startled by my question. I felt similar reactions from everyone around me, including my parents, but I kept focus on Julius. Whatever he said might help me understand these dreams.

After a long moment of silence he spoke. "Sure I do. He's my ancestor. Back…oh Jesus, almost a thousand years ago—he was the very first vampire slayer in the family. More so, my Vampire Killer whip was something created for him with the soul of his beloved."

_His beloved?! Sara?! _Somehow, this knowledge was a lot more shocking for me than Julius's whole story. But there was no denying what he said: Leon was a real person. That must mean Mathias and Elisabetha were real, too.

Julius continued. "Why do you ask?"

But I wasn't ready to confide this in anyone. I quickly shrugged. "No reason. I read his name somewhere and I wondered if he was related to you."

"O…kay," said Julius, clearly not convinced. I looked away from him so he couldn't see I was lying, but I saw the telling looks on everyone else's faces. They didn't believe me, either.

"I think I'll go back to bed now," I announced suddenly.

"Mina—" began Mom.

But I didn't wait for her to finish. I ran back up the stairs, feeling my heart pounding against my ribcage. The people in my dreams were real. But…maybe they were fantasies? It didn't mean those situations actually happened!!

Before I closed the door to my room, my phone began to ring again. I growled and flipped it open. "For God sakes LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!"

"_Mina?"_ It wasn't those creeps.

"Soma!!!" I closed my bedroom door. "Are you all right?"

"_Of course I am. I'm sorry it's taking so long on our end, but this…person who wanted to see us kept us waiting for two hours."_

"Two HOURS?! B-But THEY'RE the ones who called you out!!!!"

"_Yeah, but that's just how things go."_

"So what happened? Can we trust them?"

"_I'll explain it better when we get back. But anyways, how are you doing?"_

I told him about the harassing calls and text messages and he was clearly angry. _"I'll stop these guys, Mina. I swear I will."_

"I know you will, Soma." An unrelated question came to mind. But what was the use asking Soma about it?

"…_Mina?"_ asked Soma.

"I'm okay." I decided to ask him anyways. "Soma, I know…who you are, but can I ask you something?"

"_Sure, what is it?"_

"Does the name 'Cronqvist' sound familiar to you?"

There was a long pause on the other line. I would've liked an immediate answer to dispel my wonderings, but it took Soma a little while to answer me. _"…Not really," _he said finally. _"Why do you ask?"_

_Because I keep having dreams where my name is Elisabetha Cronqvist and I'm married to a man named Mathias. _"No reason. Be sure to hurry back here safely, okay?"

"_I will."_

We said our goodbyes and hung. A knot of hurt formed in my stomach. I hated blatantly lying to everyone, but I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to interpret these dreams, or if they were even real. Leon Belmont may have been the first Belmont vampire killer, but I didn't see Dracula at all in the dreams. Just minor interactions with Mathias and Elisabetha. Maybe he fought Dracula without his friends knowing about it?

But it didn't make sense. Mathias and Leon seemed close. If Leon were to fight something as fierce as Dracula, he wouldn't keep it a secret from his best friend. Mathias would surely help him with the fight against evil, as he helped him with the Crusades. Wouldn't Elisabetha know about it then? She would've surely noticed an evil presence

_But Mathias didn't tell Elisabetha he was going on the Crusade until it was time for him to leave. Maybe he didn't tell her about Dracula?_

I sighed in exasperation and threw my hands up into the air. "I don't know _anything_."

---

"…_**some days the heat is in…But excitement has gripped our gro…heartening, but nevethele…"**_

_Sentences weren't making any sense anymore. The whole world was a terrible haze to me; it hurt to open my eyes. All I could do was wave my hand feebly, and even the effort of talking was like a chore. "Stop."_

"_M-Milady?" I knew he was trying, my footman, to read the letter to me. He was one of the few in the household who could read, other than myself, but I could no longer see words clearly. _

"_Please…start again," I implored weakly._

"…_As you wish." Frustration laced his words. He'd been made to sit there for over an hour to read the letter to me. He must know it by heart. But this illness…destitution marred my world. I couldn't leave my bed. I could barely speak and I certainly couldn't hear well. But I wanted…this letter now meant everything to me, even if it'd just arrived yesterday._

_Mathias had sent it to me._

_I regretted sending him away on the Crusade. He didn't want to leave me like this, but I was most insistent. It seemed almost impossible now that I might get better, and he…oh, I wished to see him!! _

_The footman began reading again, although the words continued to make little sense to me. There were a few things I could glean from the letter: Mathias was still alive, as was Lord Belmont, and both were healthy. They were unaccustomed to the region they were travelling, but everyone was excited about the expedition and so they could do nothing more than be excited as well._

_Only…Mathias worried for me._

"…_**fever has gone down," **__read the footman, clearly uncomfortable. __**"I feel guilty leav…wanted you to be in fit heal…"**_

"_Please," I interrupted again. Suddenly, I was breathless; the air was stifling but I pressed on. "This par…section. Read it to me, please."_

_The footman restarted this section of Mathias's letter. __**"How fares you? I…fever has go…" **__there was a strange strain in his voice. Was he tired of reading to me, or was it something else? Oh…how my head ached. And the air…_

"_**be here…but with you…"**_

_It was difficult to tell, but tears stung my eyes. I felt sweat on my face, but the tears easily rolled down. Mathias…you were fighting for God. Why must I cause you worry now? _

_I struggled to form words together. "Write him back…tell him not to w-worry for me…He…" Just to talk was causing immense strain on me. My eyes were closed, but my vision was swimming. And my head…_

"_M-Milady!!!" my maidservant burst into the room. There was a definite note of desperation in her voice. "Milady, Lord Cronqvist has returned home!!"_

_Returned? He took leave of the Crusade and came home from the East?!_

"_Tell him I'm here," I said quietly. I struggled to open my eyes, but they seemed bound shut. "To leave…He must be…worried."_

_I didn't want to cause him this much stress and pain. I wanted him to be happy and free to do what he pleased. Why must he be like this? But…I'm happy he came home._

_I heard thunderous footsteps on the stairs. A contented sigh escaped my lips. He was here. I didn't ask him to come back, but he came back for me. Oh, the fool…but I loved him so much._

_The door to our room flew open. I heard the crash it made when it struck the wall._

_And Mathias, he…_

_He…_  
---

It felt like an electric shock to my heart. In a flash I was awake and flying out of bed, straight across the room.

"_MINA!!!"_

Someone was shrilling, screaming. Hands grabbed my shoulders roughly and gave me a violent shake. It was then I realized the screaming was ME.

"Mina!!!" it was Mom. She sat down beside me, her face full of panic. "Mina, what's wrong?! Did somebody attack you?!"

I forced myself to stop screaming. I was stunned by the overwhelming sense of loss that suddenly gripped me. I stared at Mom stupidly for several minutes, unsure of what to do.

Suddenly, I felt tears sting my eyes and they spilled out. I began shaking uncontrollably and I buried my face in my hands, choking on sobs.

"Oh, Mina…" Mom hugged me tightly. "What happened? Did you have a nightmare?" there was a strange edge to her voice, but I didn't give it much attention.

I couldn't respond to her at first, the force of my sobs too strong. By the time I could muster up the strength to speak, I could almost say nothing. "She…she…"

"She who, Mina? Who are you talking about?"

"She…" I dropped my hands away from my face and I watched them fall into my lap. "She _died_…"

---

The definition for chirayata and its uses can be found at divineremedies[dot]com: www[dot]divineremedies[dot]com/chirayata[dot]htm


	8. Part 8

Part 8

"Elisabetha…Cronqvist?" asked Julius, his words slow and his tone soft.

I nodded mutely. "She's a noblewoman from Europe, I suppose. She was alive during the Crusades, but I don't know which one." My chest began to tighten again but I forced myself to continue. "She became so sick…and her husband tried to come home and see her but in the end…" My voice trailed off, but my thoughts finished for me.

_She died the moment he entered the room. Right before they could say anything to each other._

"…Do you know her husband's name?" asked Yoko.

"Mathias. He was good friends with Leon Belmont, but I don't know if it's your ancestor, Julius-san."

"Mathias Cronqvist," said Julius, his tone still very soft. "He was Leon Belmont's greatest friend, almost his brother—"

"Wait, WHAT?!?!" I screamed, jumping from the couch. "Then Mathias WAS real?! But that means…"

_That means Elisabetha's real, too. And since you dreamt of her life, then…_

Julius was silent after my words, but then he abruptly continued. "When his wife died, he was utterly devastated to the point of inconsolable, unable to get out of bed. He became violently ill himself, and many lost hope in a recovery."

"Oh God…" a wave of horror and nausea gripped me. I could almost imagine it in my mind; screaming, horribly hideous screaming and ravings, sobbing and…no. It wasn't fair!! Mathias and Elisabetha were such good people and they _loved _each other!! They didn't deserve that!!

_But life isn't fair. If it was, then Soma wouldn't have to face such hardships every day. _"Did his grief kill him?"

Julius's silence was very poignant. "…No."

It was an incomplete answer; I just knew it. So Mathias survived losing her? Then what happened to him?!

Yoko gently touched me on the shoulder. "Mina…was there anything else in your dream? Did you see anyone else? Did you have any dreams of any other place?"

I shrugged half-heartedly. "Nobody of interest." I dropped back down onto the couch. "But what does any of this mean?! Does _this _explain my connection to Dracula, other than the Hakuba Shrine being the site of his final defeat? That I have the memories of some associate to the man who first defeated him?"

"Mina, Leon Belmont wasn't the first person to defeat Dracula," said Julius. "Trevor Belmont was in 1476."

"Eh?" I stared at him in confusion. "B-But you told me yesterday that Leon was the first in your family to kill Dracula."

Julius shook his head. "I never said that. I said Leon was my family's first _vampire hunter_, but his foe wasn't Dracula."

"Then who—" I stopped myself and shook my head. Did it really matter what vampire Leon killed? "What about Mathias? If his grief didn't kill him, what happened to him? Did he help Leon at all?"

Julius suddenly looked uncomfortable and looked to the floor. I wasn't use to seeing him like this and looked at everyone else. To my growing surprise they seemed just as uneasy about the topic as Julius. Except for Hammer, who was looking at everyone's reaction with subtle amusement.

"Mina—" began Dad.

Suddenly, the front door swung open. "We're back!!"

"Soma!!!" I yelled, forgetting about the dream for the moment. I jumped from the couch and ran to the front door. "Soma, are you all right?!"

Soma managed a small smile. "Of course I am, Mina. I'm sorry we're so late, but we didn't run into any problems."

"We obtained very useful information, though," said Arikado. I found myself embarrassed at not having noticed his presence, but he didn't seem to mind. He held a manila folder in his hand and he brushed past Soma and me towards the living room. We followed him back into the room in time to see him drop the folder abruptly onto the coffee table. "This source, although kept us waiting a considerable amount of time, has managed to give us the identities of key players in this organization."

Hammer made a quick grab for the folder and flipped it open. A couple of papers scattered to the floor."Key players, hmm? And what sort of role does this new source play here?"

"She claims to be an agent sent by The Church to infiltrate this cult, but I'm doubtful of this."

"Why is that?" asked Yoko.

"Because The Church already has Julius and you investigating spiritual anomalies surrounding Soma. I wouldn't put it past them to send in a third party without notifying you, but I'm still skeptical."

I wasn't really paying attention to them. I bent over and picked up one of the pieces of papers that Hammer had spilled. It was definitely a profile, but the face that greeted me made my stomach churn. It was the man who'd tried to kill me just days ago, whom Arikado saved me from. He looked no less insane in this photo.

**NAME: ??????**

**ALIAS: BOOMER**

Boomer?! The absurdity of such a name for such a man was almost laughable. Almost.

**AGE: ??????**

**NATIONALITY: ??????**

**HEIGHT: 215 CM**

**WEIGHT: ??????**

**PROFILE: ??????**

**ABILITIES: AXE FIGHTING**

I shoved the paper at Arikado in frustration. "This doesn't tell me anything!!!"

Arikado calmly took it from me. "I've faxed these to my Agency for more information."

"Ah!!!" Hammer yelled suddenly, holding up another piece of paper. "It's HER!!!"

"Her who?" But I could already guess who he was talking before I even reached him. A very pretty woman's face greeted me as I looked at her profile. Her hair was dark brown, almost black, as were her eyes. Her face was emotionless and expressionless

**NAME: ??????**

**ALIAS: NANCY GREY**

**AGE: ??????**

**NATIONALITY: ??????**

**HEIGHT: 176 CM**

**WEIGHT: ??????**

**PROFILE: ??????**

**ABILITIES: ??????**

Her profile was just as blank (and her lack of abilities was a glaring omission), but I couldn't help but notice that her alias had a first and last name. "Is this the woman who attacked me?"

Soma flinched slightly, and Mom and Dad seemed uncomfortable as well. It was Julius who answered me. "Yes, she was."

"And you defeated her?"

"…I drove her off," said Soma very quietly.

"Anyways," Arikado cut in abruptly. "These are key players. Feel free to look at them, but we should hopefully have updated profiles in a few hours."

I thought back to the silver-eyed man who came to the shrine. Boomer had arrived not long after he left, and I had a suspicion he was the one calling me. I wanted to see information (what little there was) on him.

There were six profiles in all. I skimmed each of them impatiently, mostly in part because of the lack of information. Onor—necromancer. Sixx Bit—firearms expert. Frew—telekinesis. Poler—dark arts.

"Don't bother with him," said Julius, taking Polar's profile out of my hands. "He's the one who attacked me on my flight, but I already killed him."

"Hmm…" Nancy Grey was the only woman amongst these people, although that meant little. She was also the only one with a full-name alias. Was she more important than the others?

Even so, I didn't see the silver-eyed man amongst these people. Did that mean he wasn't part of this cult?

"Are these the only people in the cult?" I asked aloud. "Did this source lady mention a man with silver eyes?"

"Silver eyes?" Arikado's brow furrowed for a moment. "Do you mean the man who was following you on New Years Eve and came to the shrine on New Years Day?"

"Of course that's who I mean!!" I snapped, but I quickly recovered myself. "I'm sorry. But did she say anything about him?"

Arikado was silent for a long moment. Then he spoke. "This man…might be who they call Xenon Skelter."

"Xenon Skelter…" the name sounded too awkward to say. It was probably another alias. "And who's he?"

"The leader of the cult."

---

There was too much to digest for me. Was this what Soma felt like when he found out he was Dracula?

I groaned, burying my face into my pillow. Xenon Skelter…it would make sense if he was the leader. Making these harassing phone calls, scoping out the shrine before sending in monsters…but how did he know I would sit on the roof to watch the New Years sun rise?

"_I can see you."_

I jumped from the bed and grabbed some tape off my desk. Mom would kill me later, but it didn't stop me from taping the curtains to the walls, making very little sunlight leak in. All of this sleeping was completely throwing me off-track in terms of the days. I slept all day just two days ago and then stayed up all night and slept until late morning. Soma and Arikado were both out with this new source all night and just came back. Both must be so tired, even more so than me.

I stopped taped and stood still in my room. Sleeping…the tight feeling in my chest returned and I let the roll of tape slip from my hands. The dreams had been bothersome, but I felt Elisabetha's death. I felt her die. It was so…_horrible_ for me, and I didn't know her very well. I felt her loss from deep within me and I was almost afraid of going to sleep, to see what might happen in the absence of her life.

I quickly shook my head. _No, no, no…_I still had no answers about her. Julius seemed to know about her—or at least Mathias—but _I _still knew nothing. The easy explanation would be that I _am_ Elisabetha, but something seemed so…wrong.

I left my room and headed downstairs. The house was still so quiet, as most everyone went to bed, but I heard Mom and Dad in the kitchen. They were speaking very softly to each other and I was almost curious about what they were saying. Instead, I walked past the kitchen towards one of our spare rooms. I couldn't help but hesitate before I tapped on the door. "Soma?"

"…Mina?" came the soft reply.

"I-I'm sorry if I woke you—" I stammered at the closed door.

"Nonsense, you didn't disturb me. Come in."

I swallowed as I reached for the handle. But why was I so nervous? This is _Soma _I'm talking to!! There's nobody I trust more or loved more than him!!!

The latter thought caused heat to form on my cheeks, and so I tried to turn to more neutral thoughts as I opened the door. "Can I talk to you, Soma?"

"Sure, Mina." He wasn't really resting in a guest room, more like a sitting room. Most of his things were tucked into a corner and his white coat was draped over the couch he was currently laying. Despite his previous assurances, it sure looked like I disturbed. "What's up?"

I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me. "I know you're Dracula, Soma."

Soma winced a little before he nodded. "I know, Mina."

"And I accept you no matter what."

"And I appreciate that greatly. Is this what's bothering you?"

I shook my head and stepped further into the room. "Soma…I-I think I might be somebody else, too."

"Really?!" he looked very surprised by my words and sat up a little. "That's…well, I don't know what to say. Is this a good thing?"

"I think so, because she was a good person." I took a seat on the small table in front of the couch rather than on the couch. "I've dreamt of her for a long time, but recently my dreams of her have been every day."

"What's her name?"

"Elisabetha Cronqvist."

The color drained from Soma's already pale face. He suddenly let out a yelp of pain and pitched forward, grabbing at his head.

"Soma!!!" I reached out and grabbed his shoulders. "Are you okay?!"

Soma was breathing heavily, but it gradually began to even out. After a few more moments he relaxed once more and sat up. "I'm okay, Mina. I just had a minor spell, that's all."

"Okay…" Soma didn't look okay, though, even as he slowly leaned back to lay back down on the couch.

"Did you ever dream about Dracula before you…found out about him?" his reaction was unnerving, but it was probably just a spell, as he said. He didn't act this way when I asked him about the Cronqvist name before, so I doubted there was a connection.

"No…" Soma raised a hand to his forehead. "And even now there are patches of blankness in my memories. I remember—that I did a lot of terrible things—"

"_Dracula _did those things," I corrected him. "_You _didn't do them, Soma."

"But I AM Dracula, Mina. I have to accept that his crimes are my crimes and I can only rectify myself by protecting people."

"You don't hurt people, Soma. You're a wonderful person and you're _good_. Would I ever be with you if you weren't?" I 'eeped' a little and looked away.

Soma laughed. "Thanks, Mina." He reached out and patted my hand. "This Elisabetha…do you know if she met Dracula?"

I shook my head. "She knew Leon Belmont, but she…died. Of illness." It was hard to say these words.

Soma winced again and it was another long moment before he spoke again. "Did you dream of her death?"

I nodded sharply. "Just last night."

"Oh, man…" He squeezed my hand gently. "I'm so sorry, Mina…"

"I'm okay," I assured him numbly. "I-I'm just a little sad for the people she left behind. And that her fate was such." _Poor, poor Mathias…_

Soma nodded to this, although he looked thoughtful. "If you dreamt of her death, then maybe your dreams of her will stop?"

"I didn't really find them distressing. Elisabetha was a good woman and she had good friends and a good husband. But…maybe you're right. I dreamt out the last part of her life and her early life came to me in dreams in the past. Maybe…I won't face anymore?"

"…How long have you had these dreams, Mina?" Soma's eyes were starting to close and I could tell it was a great struggle to stay awake. I knew how tired he must've been and yet I was bothering him.

Without letting his hand go, I slid off the table and sat on the floor, my head laying down next to his. "I don't know. Years, maybe."

"Why didn't you ever tell me about them?"

"I didn't want to worry you. They never made sense until now. I just thought they were regular dreams."

"Mmm…" this time he couldn't keep his eyes open. "Just let me know next time…okay?"

"I will," I promised, squeezing his hands. "But don't worry about me. Worry about yourself and take care of yourself."

Soma gave a half-hearted confirmation. Now he'd relaxed into a deep sleep. I was tempted to give him a kiss, but I restrained myself. I reached for his simple cover instead to pull over him more. That is, until I noticed my hand still held his…and he wasn't letting go.

I stared at our hands for a short moment, and then at his sleeping face. I couldn't help but laugh as I leaned my head back down next to his. "Looks like I won't be leaving so soon…"

---

_The path in the forest broke and revealed a wide clearing. No...it was a courtyard or garden of sorts. Aging slabs of marble littered the ground, overcome with weeds and flowers._

_I brought Moses to a calm trot as we ventured into the area uncertainly. Several feet away there was a wide but aging wall with a rusted gate closed off to us. Were we trespassing? I couldn't imagine anyone leaving their property in such disarray._

_It was then I spotted it. Under a cluster of vines and trees near a lopsided wall was a small gathering of flowers. But they didn't appear to be just any flowers. If luck was on my side, they were yarrows, that which I'd been seeking._

_I allowed Moses to walk a couple more steps until I brought him to a stop not far from the gathering. I slid off his back and stroked his nose gently before I approached the flowers. We were alone, but a feeling of discontent began to settle in my stomach. I quickly looked at the trees surrounding us. Was the keeper of this land watching us? But I saw nothing and no one and I turned back to the flowers. I would have to be quick here, lest danger sneak upon me._

_I knelt down in front of the bed and inspected the texture of the plant. Yes, it was yarrow. I'd sadly exhausted my supply and the usual growth spot I took them from was still empty. I'd spent the better part of this day looking for them and I was only too happy to find them now._

_I began to dig them out and store them away in my satchel. The unsettling feeling inside of me began to grow unexpectedly and I hastened my task. I couldn't see nor hear anyone. We were alone here...right?_

_I was almost finished when I heard Moses stir behind me. Something was greatly bothering him and he wanted to leave. "I'm almost done," I spoke to him assuredly. Unfortunately, I said this mostly in part to assure myself._

_The weeds beyond the yarrow in front of me began to shake slightly, startling me. I looked up to see what was causing this when something flashed before my vision. Before I could react, I felt a cold leathery coil, almost like the body of a snake, wrap around my throat. I let out a croaking gasp, but that only caused the coil to wind even tighter. Bright patches filled my vision and I quickly panicked. My arms flailed about me, my hand accidentally striking Moses on the nose. I heard him give a wailing neigh and the ominous sounds of his hoofs as he galloped away back into the trees._

_I tried to grab the coil as it pulled me to my feet with surprising strength. My panic only strengthened and I tried to strike at my assailant behind me. To my utter surprise my blows met with nothing but air._

_It was getting increasingly harder to breathe and I felt the darkness beckoning. I would die like this...all alone in a strange place by a strange coil. _

_Tears slid down my cheeks and my waning breath frantically formed a prayer. __**"Pater noster, qui es in caelis: sanctificetur Nomen Tuum..."**_

_A hideous growl that sounded anything but human filled my ears. I felt the coil begin to loosen from around my neck. Hope filled my senses and spurred me on. __**"...adveniat Regnum Tuum; fiat voluntas Tua, sicut in caelo, et in terra."**_

_The coil loosened a little bit more, allowing me to turn around. I could possibly overtake this person, and..._

_But I saw no one. Confused, I glanced upwards and cried out. It was a long appendage, almost like a root. It hung over my head and extended towards the grouping of weeds and vines. Dumbfounded, I stared at this...plant that continued to shake. __**This **__was my attacker? But how could this be?!_

_Whatever it may be, it sensed my shock and tightened around my neck again. I still managed to choke out the words. __**"Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie; et dimitte nobis debita nostra, Sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; et ne nos inducas in tentationem; sed libera nos a Malo!!!"**_

_The growling was indeed coming from the plant. As I continued to pray aloud, it began growling louder as though in anger. I felt the root loosen once more, to the point where it slid down my neck to the base. Suddenly, it let loose a hideous shriek, as though it were in pain. It whipped back, uncoiling from my neck, and disappeared back into the main body. But I felt a fierce pain as it retreated and my hands went quickly to my neck. The flesh was raw and surely bruised; I would need a very potent balm for it._

_But as I touched the base, the area felt odd...almost empty. I rubbed my hands all around my neck, feeling quite frightened by what had just happened._

_My hands stilled. Realization dawned on me. The empty feeling...my cross was gone. The creature had been repelled by my prayer and it felt pain when it touched it. And now it just took it away. God's will repelled it...it must be a plant of evil._

_I gathered my satchel and began to run. I knew not where Moses ran to, but I had to get out of there. It was not a safe place, especially for me._

_I heard a loud 'whoosh' and with dread I felt that root wind around my neck once more. I tried to choke out my prayer again, but it began dragging me back to it with alarming speed. I struggled as hard as I could, but the grip only became stronger. It was a futile effort._

_I was dragged backwards until my body was positioned just in front of the plant, and then it stopped. I vaguely noticed the difference in grip from the root. It was very difficult to breathe, but my throat wasn't closed off. It wasn't trying to kill me. But it wasn't letting me go._

_I tugged on the root with my hands. It didn't budge. I began to pray again. The grip loosened ever so slightly, but otherwise didn't let me go. Desperate, I chant the prayer over and over again and any other prayer that came to mind. The grip loosened each time, but not enough for me to escape. _

_I don't know how long this went on for, but the overcast sky grew darker and darker; I feared rain would fall upon me and I could not shield myself. I continued to pray until my voice grew hoarse and could no longer make a sound. The tears fell then and I wept pitifully. This was far worse than being strangled by the plant. What if I was stuck here? Would I die like this, tied to a plant? I thought of the people who were waiting for me, who depended upon me. I could help no one here. I'd let them down greatly._

_The hours passed and grew longer. I slipped in and out of consciousness, weary from fear and from having to stand as still as I was. Thankfully the rain didn't fall, but the wind grew so cold...and as the day passed me I grew hungry. I'd only eaten a light snack before I'd left and now I was starving._

_I'd fallen asleep again when something startled me awake. By this time night had fallen and the storm clouds thankfully cleared to reveal a full moon. All around me in the darkness of the forest I could hear animals; predators, lurking about. I would no doubt be an easy prey for them as I was._

_But that wasn't what woke me up. I turned my head and looked at the aging gate. It was making a hideous groaning noise of rusty hinges moving when not use to._

_Then...very abruptly the gate swung wide open._

_Footsteps sounded upon the ground. It was two single footprints, meaning that it was a person nearby. Someone was here!! But I felt no relief at this prospect. I felt uneasy...and scared._

_I saw the shadow first, illuminated by moonlight. It stretched out across the grass, across the broken marble, and across some trees. It shocked me very deeply and I couldn't help but gape._

_I heard the rustling of cloth and I turned back to the gate...and sucked in a breath. A man walked through the gate, but paused when he caught sight of me. He...I've never quite seen anyone like him in my whole life. He was probably just a few years older than me, but his presence suggested many more years of life. His hair was a very pale silver and he wore it long and loose down his back. His face was so...pale. Mayhap it was in part to his black cloak and his black clothing in general, but his skin looked translucent, as though he didn't get enough sunlight. Even so, I could see very little of his face otherwise; a black bycocket hat had been pulled down over it._

_But he still saw me. For a very long time he simply stood there in silence and looked at me. I looked back at him, wondering who he was but also wondering why he wasn't helping me._

_Then, he spoke. "A human woman, hmm? What do you here? This is my property you've trespassed on."_

_I stared at him stunned for a moment. Could he not see I was stuck here? But his voice...there was something peculiar about it. It was soft, but there was something...menacing about it, like it was a tone to instill fear. But...I wasn't afraid of him. Not even my instincts raised any alarms._

_When I spoke, I did so cautiously as to not disturb this demon plant. "F-Forgive me, Milord. I was here looking for yarrow when..." I hesitated. Would he find me ridiculous when I tell him of my predicament?_

_"When what?" he asked calmly. Even as he accused me of trespassing, he didn't seem furious with me. He simply stood there and watched me, as though my presence wasn't anything out of the ordinary._

_"When I..." I tugged at the coil around my neck once more. However, now its powerful hold on me returned; it wouldn't budge. "I lost my horse. And this...plant has caught me."_

_The man's head tilted slightly, as though he were looking at the plant. He was silent for another long moment, but I didn't become impatient. I wondered what he would do about this._

_Then he spoke again. "So you voluntarily trespassed onto my domain, woman?"_

_"I..." I was startled by his words, and the first stab of fear gripped me. "I-I apologize for it, Milord, but I was looking for yarrow. I-I'm a doctor, you see, and—"_

_The man raised his hand sharply, as if demanding my silence. I gave it to him because I didn't know what else to do._

_"The deadly vine usually attacks without mercy," he said, lowering his hand. "And it particularly likes the taste of a human female's flesh."_

_"...What?" I asked very quietly._

_"So I'm quite surprised that it has spared you. But, this can only mean that it has kept you alive this long for a purpose; to give you to me."_

_"...Milord—"_

_"You humans can make things very difficult for me, and all I would like to do is survive in solitude. Mayhap your wandering off alone means you have no family whose needs you need tending to."_

_"My family is dead," I blurted out without realizing it. "I-I'm just a doctor..."_

_My voice trailed off. I knew I'd just made a very great mistake. _

_And he was quick to voice what I'd thought. "So you __**do **__have no family. That means nobody will come looking for you."_

_Suddenly, he began moving again. He was walking towards me, ever so slowly, almost like a predator stalking his prey. This comparison caused another wave of fear to grip me._

_But...more than the fear, a new feeling washed over me. Horror. But it wasn't for my own fate. An involuntary thought passed through my mind. '__**This isn't normal behavior. When did he become so...evil?**__' I don't know why I would think this, especially since I did not know this man. For all I knew, this WAS his real nature._

_Finally, he stopped in front of me. A black gloved hand reached out and grasped my chin. I quickly closed my eyes, not wanting to see whatever he had planned for me._

_There was a pause from this man, and I felt his piercing gaze on my face. Suddenly, he turned my head from side to side, as though he were giving me a very close look._

_Then, he spoke. "You seem familiar to me, woman. So you've trespassed here before?"_

_"N-Nay!!" I cried suddenly, trying to pull away from him. But his grip was unmoving and so was the coil. "I swear to God this is the first time I've been here!!"_

_His grip on my chin grew tighter. "Do NOT swear to God for anything!! For what do you have to thank HIM for, anyway? It was by His will that brought you here and it is by His will now that you stand before me!!" He leaned in close to me. "God lays in wait, mocking His children and burying them in suffering while they sacrifice their lives to please Him. And now you, one of His daughters, have fallen prey to the one person who sees Him for what He truly is!!"_

_A tiny gasp escaped my mouth. Prey...this man was going to kill me. But strangely though, this thought wasn't the one that caused me the most distress. His cursing upon God caused me more pain than his threats. Behind his words...I sensed genuine anger, and not at me. But why would he hate God so much?_

_I opened my eyes to look at him. "Milord—"_

_My throat froze. Now that he was close to me, I could see his face obscured by the hat. It was hollowed, hardened, and beautiful as though carven out of the same marble that littered the clearing. But this face..._

_**His**__ face..._

_A wave of panic gripped me suddenly and I screamed. My chest tightened unexpectedly and my head swam with such violent force that I thought I would be sick. I began breathing very quickly and heavily and my head arched back, away from him, and looked at the night sky. I didn't know why I felt this way but I couldn't stop it._

_My body grew weak and I suddenly collapsed. I felt the coil slipping from around my neck and black patches filled my vision. What was happening?_

_I felt it then. Something caught me and held me upright. But it was too late; darkness swam into my vision and consumed my body. I felt a hand touch my cheek unexpectedly, the touch gentle. It was then that I heard a voice, just as a soft as the touch._

_"You…"_

---

My eyes snapped open. Soma's tired sleeping face greeted me, and the waning sunlight framed it like a halo.

Unfortunately I couldn't enjoy the pleasure of such a serene sight. I slowly sat up, trying not to wake him, but unable to stop a simple question from escaping my mouth.

"Who was that?"


	9. Part 9

Part 9

_I felt...comfortable. Warm. Almost…safe. But even as I awoke, I knew not where I was._

_My eyes fluttered open, and it took a long moment to intake my surroundings. This room...this chamber was shrouded in darkness. I fingered the blankets tucked around me, amazed at their high quality. Even as a doctor I could never afford such material...and I would never want such vanities anyway. _

_I slowly sat up, my eyes trying to adjust to the dark room. There were two black candle stands on either side of the bed, each lit with seven candles. Still, they didn't illuminate the room very well. There seemed to be no other furniture inside this room, other than the bed and the candles._

_I looked down at myself, trying not to panic at my growing confusion. My dress...it was the same white smock shirt and dark green kirtle I'd worn when I'd left my house to search for yarrow. _

_When I was snared by that plant...and met that man..._

_I hugged the blankets to my chest, a feeling of unease beginning to rise in me. "Where am I?" I murmured to myself._

_There was a sudden burst from the other side of the room, right in front of me. I cried out in surprise as I saw the outline of two heavy doors bursting open, smacking the stone walls lightly despite the force of their opening. Suddenly, light flooded the room. Candle holsters dispatched unseeingly throughout the room exploded with light. I quickly noticed that this bed I laid on WAS the only piece of furniture in this room, outside of the candles lit here. _

_"I see that you're awake."_

_I started again, and turned to face forward. It was him; that strange man who found me. Gone was his hat, revealing his hauntingly beautiful face, but his black clothes remained. He stepped into the room very simply, and those heavy doors closed behind him. _

_Without him touching them._

_I stared at him blankly for a moment, not sure what I should say. I remembered...oh, it was so difficult to say!! He wanted to kill me, that was certain. But I wasn't dead. Something happened...I panicked and I swooned? Did the reality of his intentions affect me?_

_It was odd, though. He didn't seem threatening to me now. He gave a wave of his hand as he started circling the room. "You must be hungry. Eat."_

_The smell of food struck my senses and I looked to my left. My eyes widened at this sudden appearance of a platter of food on a side table that hadn't been there before. I'd never seen anything like it. Roasted vegetables, fresh bread and cheese, and...meat? By the smell of it, it must be beef or pork. Oh...I'd never had either. I hadn't the money for a cow or pig, only harvesting chickens and their eggs._

_I turned back to this strange man, confused beyond belief. "How did you...did you cook this for me?"_

_"Nonsense," he answered, his tone cold and reserved. He seemed to have produced a chair from somewhere and took a seat next to my bed. "But it should still be good for you."_

_"I..." I looked back at the platter again and then looked at him. "Thank you, Milord."_

_He was silent for a very long moment. "...You shouldn't thank me. I'm not a Good Samaritan. I'd intended to kill you, woman."_

_I was taken aback by his words. A sharp pain filled my chest and took my breath away. I grasped at my heart and hunched over, trying to remain calm. Yes...I shouldn't forget he wanted to kill me. Why he was keeping me away now was puzzling, but he harbored ill intentions...and it hurt me terribly, for some unknown reason._

_"...Are you all right?" he asked._

_I stilled, the pain gradually fading. What? Why was he inquiring on my condition? He'd just admitted he wanted to kill me!! But...strangely, it made me feel better that he showed concern. It made him seem more...human._

_I sat back up and took a deep breath. "Aye, Milord. But..." I gave him a sideways glance, unable to look at him fully. "Why did you not kill me? You admit your intentions and yet you serve me plentiful food and show concern for my health."_

_He seemed uncomfortable with my question. He stood up from his seat and began to pace nervously. He rubbed at his chin curiously. Seeing such a posture in this man caused an unexpected jolt within me, and I was filled with awareness...nostalgia. I've seen someone act like this before, but where?_

_Finally, he spoke. "I don't know why I spared you, Miss. I will admit my intentions were nefarious, but...something happened. And I couldn't bring myself to kill you."_

_"So...you will spare me?" I asked quietly._

_"I know not __**what **__to do with you. I have exposed myself to you in a way others must not know of, but...I cannot end your life. But I mustn't let anyone else know about me. Whatever the reasons, I cannot let you leave."_

_"Wh-What?!" I cried out. I pushed the covers away from me. "But you must!! I have to go home!!"_

_"Why?" he asked. "You've already told me you have no family."_

_"B-But I'm a doctor!! I have patients I need to tend to!!" I stilled for a moment. "Wait...how long have I been here?"_

_"Two days," he said. "But time needn't matter. Until I know what to do with you, I cannot let you leave."_

_"But I—"_

"Mina?"

"—must go home." The words came out soft and groggy.

"'Go home'? Mina, you _are_ home." Hands grabbed my shoulders. "Here, please wake up, Mina."

My eyes fluttered open. Soma stared down at me, a look of concern on his face. "…Soma?"

"Were you having another dream of Elisabetha? You were talking in your sleep."

"I…" I slowly sat up, not really sure where I was. Wait…this was my bedroom. I'd slept earlier today, though not for long, and dreamt of…someone. I didn't tell anyone about this, not even when we ate dinner (although there was a shortage of sitting space, thanks to our lack of table). And I simply went to bed. I couldn't imagine that I would get much sleep from all the sleep I've been having lately, but I somehow fell asleep. But these new dreams…

_That's not Elisabetha._

"Mina?" Soma was still looking at me expectantly, even as he took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Are you all right?"

I couldn't help but gape at him. How could he be so concerned for me all the time? Sure, it wasn't exactly a thrill ride that some cult wanted to kill me, but he faced FAR worse dangers than I was currently facing!! At the end of the day he was still Dracula and people had far more interest in him!!

But, I was happy by his words. I managed a smile and nodded. "Don't worry, I'm fine Soma."

"Did you dream of her again?" he repeated.

I slowly shook my head. "…No. It wasn't her. It was just some odd random dream."

Soma gave me an exasperated look and I held my hands up defensively. "Soma, it wasn't Elisabetha. I swear it wasn't."

He didn't look convinced. "Soma, it wasn't her. I don't what's going on in my head, but it wasn't her."

"…All right," he said reluctantly. He stood up from my bed. "Anyways, about the reason I came up here…"

"Is something wrong?"

"Well, our 'source' has decided to pay a visit—"

"She's here?!" I threw back the covers and stood up. "When did she get here?! Is she still here?!"

"Calm down, Mina." Soma waved a hand at me. "She just arrived a few minutes ago. That's why I came up here to wake you up."

"All right. I'll be right down."

Soma left the room so I could get changed. I just threw on the same cleaning clothes I wore on New Years Eve.

I stopped. So much had changed in so little time. I was so unaware of so many things back then…will my life ever be the same?

I tried not to think about it as I left the room. I was startled to see Soma waiting for me in the hallway. He gave me a small smile. "Ready?"

"…Yes." Even if it was a small house, he could've easily gone downstairs to meet their source. But he waited for me instead. I couldn't help but feel happy, even by a little bit.

I could hear talking even before we reached the bottom step. I followed Soma to the living room to see everyone awake and talking. But it was the girl who caught my attention. She looked no older than me, if not younger. She was a foreigner, like the others who were trying to kill me, but her face held an unwavering serenity. She wore a nun's hood on her head, but I could tell by her bangs that her hair was rusty brown. She wore a blue trench coat over a simple black dress and she sat very daintily, but almost poised for…something.

As we entered, she turned towards us. Her eyes were dark green, but they lit up when they saw us. "You!!!" In a flash she was on her feet and rushing towards us. I thought she was addressing Soma, but she grabbed MY hands. "It's really you, isn't it?!"

"Uh…excuse me?" I asked, pulling my hands free.

"Oh…they were certain it was you, but there was still skepticism. But now that I've seen you, I know that…" she stopped abruptly, as though she had to think about something. She returned to the couch and sat down, drinking a cup of tea idly. "How interesting…"

"Excuse me, but who are you?" I asked.

"Yes," said Arikado, addressing her again. "I think it's fair that you tell us the truth this time. Though you provided Soma and myself very valuable information, your attempts at deception are now very apparent."

The girl stopped drinking her tea and set the cup down. "Well…I wasn't _looking _to deceive you—"

"You told us a false name and you lied about your origins. Might you start things off with the truth now?"

"False name?" I asked, looking at Soma. "So she _did_ lie to you both?"

"In addition to keeping us waiting for several hours," said Soma neutrally.

"…I guess in order to gain the trust of you all I shall be truthful. Allow me to reintroduce myself." She stood up fluidly and gave a low bow. "My name is Chessa. I'm sorry for deceiving you about my organization, but I felt if I revealed too much of myself I might invoke the wrath of a select few."

"Invoke wrath?!" I repeated. "Whose?"

Arikado answered for her. "My Agency has discovered that Miss Chessa here does indeed NOT work for the Church that Yoko and Julius work for."

"So it's still just us investigating this?" mused Yoko, seemingly unconcerned by the potential takeover of her case.

But Arikado didn't look very calm. "Chessa…is it not true you belong to the Order of Ecclesia?"

"_Ecclesia?!_" I didn't know if this was a good thing or bad thing by the reactions of most everyone in the room. Soma seemed just as confused about this as I was.

Chessa looked at everyone calmly. "Yes, I do."

"And yet you _help_ us?!" Yoko demanded, taking a fighting stance.

"W-Wait a minute!!" I cried out. "What's going on? What's the Order of Ecclesia?"

"It was an organization formed in the 19th century in Europe on the pretext of defeating Dracula," said Arikado. He didn't seem angry but was definitely on edge. "They'd even created a life force called Dominus that would be on par with defeating him. Of course, it did nothing to actually permanently _stop_ Dracula, but it defeated him upon resurrection. However…" he looked back to Chessa again. "That was all a ruse. The Order of Ecclesia really existed to revive Dracula and NOT destroy him."

"I've…never heard of them," said Soma slowly. "And I don't really remember much about them."

"That's really no surprise," said Chessa. "Considering our re-founding mother Shanoa destroyed all written evidence of Ecclesia's existence. But, thanks to her we've continued to exist, our skills passing down word of mouth to protect mankind from evil. Now our organization is over two hundred years old and we've worked tirelessly to stop evil threats."

"And you've done a _fine job_." Soma's tone of voice was suddenly harsh and sarcastic and I looked at him worriedly. "So, where have you been until now? Where were you when Dracula's castle merged with the solar eclipse in 2035? Where were you when With Light tried to force me to become Dracula in 2036? Where were you ALL THE TIMES Arikado, Yoko, Julius, Hammer, and I fought evil over and over again _all over the world_?!"

"Soma—" I began.

"And what about Mina?!" He pointed a finger at me. "You claim to serve mankind, but you never jumped to _her_ defense these past few days!!"

Chessa didn't seem fazed by Soma's anger. "Though we may not fight by your side, Soma, we've done our part to fight evil. Furthermore, my mission first and foremost was to infiltrate this cult, find out their intentions, and expose its people. I—"

"Everything that WE'VE done plenty of!!!" he roared. "Do you have any idea how hypocritical this all is?! Like HELL Ecclesia has fought evil!! We've done our fair share of the fighting you've never once helped us until now!!! Is it because I'm Dracula?! That I'm the dark lord you have to defeat?!"

"I have no qualms with you, Soma—"

"Then why haven't you helped me up to this point?!"

Chessa shrugged. "No matter what your intentions are, there is no denying the fact that you are Dracula. Human or not, good or not, you are him and the danger of his true revival exists every day. Ecclesia was founded to defeat you, and so we have no choice but to keep an eye on you to make sure you don't turn against mankind again."

"But this is the first time you made yourselves public since Shanoa fought Dracula," said Yoko. "Even if you claim your goal is to defeat Dracula and all evil, there have been many instances in the past 150 years where both have wreaked havoc and you didn't step in at all. Why is that?"

Chessa stared at her for a long moment before she spoke. "Everyone, what was your reaction to me once I revealed myself? You were shocked, and immediately suspicious of my true intentions, based upon Ecclesia's history. I cannot change the fact that Ecclesia's first founder, Barlowe, wanted to revive Dracula. Though Ecclesia was erased from history, we're not so ignorant to think nobody knew about us and what happened. You reacted negatively to me now...how might previous vampire hunters react to us if we revealed ourselves?"

I was getting a headache. I could sympatheize with the fact that she was persecuted by hunters and demons alike, but this overload of information seemed too irrelevant to me. "Enough of this, Chessa-san. I don't think the history of your organization matters now, especially since you've gone out of your way to help us. Why are you here now?"

Everyone looked at me when I made this statement. Chessa didn't really react to it, but she still addressed me. "All right, Mina. The reason I broke from my mission to come here directly is because something big is going to happen. Very shortly."

"Shortly?" Soma repeated. "Define 'shortly'."

Chessa looked at her watch. "Oh...I'd say in about thirty seconds."

"THIRTY SECONDS?!?!" everyone screamed.

"And you choose NOW to tell us?!" Julius shouted.

Chessa shrugged again, seemingly not concerned by the 'big thing'. Should _I _be concerned, then? "I didn't have any choice. I came to you as soon as I could, which unfortunately wasn't soon enough."

"What's going to happen?!" snapped Arikado. I'd seen his calm anger before, but never such anger where he was so blatantly frustrated. He started advancing on Chessa. "What did—"

It was then that the 'big thing' happened. The whole room gave a violent lurch and everyone stilled for a moment. Then suddenly, the whole house was shaking.

"_E-Earthquake!!_" I screamed, grabbing at the couch's arm.

But a hand grabbed my arm. "Mina!! Get to the door!!"

Soma. He dragged me from the couch to the nearest doorway. All around us everything was in chaos. Furniture fell over and everyone was scrambling to cover their heads. That is, expect for Arikado, who put his hands together and began chanting...and Chessa.

"Well, right on time," said Chessa, sitting down to sip her tea again.

Soma pushed me down to my knees in the doorway and braced himself above me. I could him chanting an incantation, but everything around us was just too loud. I didn't know how long this earthquake would last, or even why we were feeling it at all. The Hakuba Shrine was on top of a tall hill!!

Just when I thought it would stop, the house started shaking even more violently. Right before my eyes I saw the wall on the other side of the room crack like glass, from the middle and extending outwards towards the ceiling and floor. Damage had been minimal before this sudden violent burst and now it seemed like the whole house was crumbling. Was this because of Soma's shield? Did something happen?

The floor beneath us rose sharply. I was snugly packed into the doorframe, but the sudden shift took me off-guard. I lost my balance and fell backwards, but I knew Soma would catch me if...

"Mi—" pain erupted from the back of my head and my vision started swimming. It was a familiar sensation...but I couldn't be hurt too badly...

---

"_**He looked at the lady bashfully and said with many blushes: 'I am not accustomed to such honour as you show me, Ma'am. If I may offer you my opinion, only such hospitality was needed as I deserve. Nor would I have had you ride down here. If I may ask a favour, Ma'am, let me strike a happy mean. You do me too much honour."**_

_I held a finger in this spot of the book and looked at the cover. 'Parzival' by Wolfram von Eschenbach. It seemed like such an interesting read._

_I looked at the pile of books that occupied the desk. I'd seen very little outside of this chamber. I knew not how long I'd been here. Mayhap a week, mayhap more? I hadn't seen the Sun at all during this time._

_And yet...I wasn't scared. Or restless. _

_I put a bookmark in 'Parzival' and set it down. How strange of a man my captor was. I saw very little of him, but each time I saw him he...well, he didn't treat me as a prisoner despite that fact I couldn't leave this room. I'd stopped asking to go home after a while, but even then he didn't seem assured with me. Even so, he tried to make me comfortable, even as he held me here. This once empty room was now bursting with furniture. I'd made idle remarks about my activities and he fulfilled them as best as he could. I talk of how I was a doctor—I woke up to find healing plants. I mentioned that I was literate and loved to read—books, piles upon piles of books were awaiting me._

_Why then, was he making me comfortable to be here? He feared I would tell somebody about him but for some reason he couldn't kill me. Fate could be crueler to me in that he could starve me or force me to be driven mad. But he did no such thing._

_I raised a hand to my head and ran my fingers through my blonde hair. Mad...mayhap I __**was **__mad. Something was happening to me, that was certain. I didn't like going to sleep. Sometimes I feared whatever may stand over me when I awoke, but my dreams...they were so puzzling. I was not myself in them. I knew no one in these dreams and yet whole dialogue occurred as though I should know what's going on. Such dreams had always existed for me but now...they were happening more often. And more clearly._

"_You are distressed."_

_I was so startled by this voice I jumped straight out of my chair. I quickly turned around to face him. "I-I...hello, Milord."_

_He gave me a searching look before he spoke again. "You still desire to return home?"_

"_Of course, sir. I-I don't know how long I've been here, but my patients...they've been without my care. Surely they might find another doctor to care for them, but only I know how to minister to many people's needs." I set a hand down on the back of the chair. "I know that you don't want me to leave. That you're afraid I'll bring attention to you. But I...you have no reason to believe me, Milord, but if I could get back to my patients..."_

_He was silent again for a very long time. "...Why do you care so much about the needs of others? You administer herbs and healing balms to those in need, but you can never stop death. Death is inevitable for all humans. Your work is wasted."_

_His words were very painful to hear and I felt tears cloud my eyes. There was no denying the truth in them, but... "I know this, sir. Mayhap my work is futile. But God—" he raised a hand to stop me, but I forced myself to continue regardless. "God blessed the land with plants that heal. Yarrow stops headaches and bruising. Echinacea strengthens the body against disease. I have a gift to take their naturalness of healing and make it supple to humans—"_

"_Azaleas disrupt the stomach and stop breathing," he interrupted me. "And monkshood suffocates you. Yet these are also plants that God has "blessed" the land with. In their most potent stage they could kill anyone, and yet God created them. You are very intelligent, Miss. You are a doctor, even as a female, and you can read texts—" his voice strained slightly as he said the last part, but he then continued normally. "But even you must understand this cruel joke. Wistful thinking and naivety cannot prevent death. Mankind, animals, even the air itself exists as a cruel joke by __**God**__." He bit off that word like a curse. "Suffering will continue to exist whether or not you continue on as a doctor. Your gift isn't a blessing by Him; it's only a rebellion against His endless cycle of suffering and death."_

_I looked away from him. "Humans suffer. It's the bane we hold for the death of Christ and for the Original Sin. But...even if death __is inevitable, there is still life. People die every day and yet we still stand here. That I know how to ease the suffering of others must mean that life is worth living, instead of dwelling in death. Even if it's wasted...I can extend somebody's life, even for a day. And feelings...positive emotions make the world brighter for all. Anger and hate exist, but so does happiness and love. If we were meant to feel nothing but suffering by God, he wouldn't grant us happiness or anything good in this world. We would be bitter, hateful shells of monsters and the world would stop..." I clasped my hands together. "Milord...I don't know you, but you obviously hold contempt for God. I feel for you and whatever suffering you have, but knowing the evil that exists in this world only makes me want to try harder to help. Even if it means delaying the inevitable of death, I can ease someone's suffering even by just a little bit."_

_His face was blank, as though he felt nothing for my words. My head drooped forward slightly. "F-Forgive me. I shouldn't speak of you when I know not—"_

_Hands grabbed my shoulders.__ I looked up startled to see him very close to me, his face inches from mine. "I shall grant your request, Miss."_

"_R-Really?!" I was relieved that he would send me home, and yet I felt something else very subtle. Disappointment...and distress. "Are you certain, Milord."_

_He narrowed his eyes at me. "Would you prefer to be held captive here? Or are you saying you cannot keep quiet about me?"_

"_N-Nay, sir. If you would let me go home to tend to my patients, I will never tell a soul about you. I swear to Go—"_

"_That's enough. I know not what to do with you, so I will take you at your word. However..." he leaned close to me. "If I find that you have told someone about me—and I __**will**__ find out—I will come after you. Understood?"_

"_A-Aye, Milord."_

"_Good." He relaxed slightly. "Let's take you home, then."_

"_B-But you don't—" I didn't get to finish. In a flash I felt a violent burst of wind. I cried out and grabbed for this man, afraid that I might be swept away by this whirlwind._

_Then, very abruptly the wind ceased and I was set on solid ground. I was so dizzy by this sudden shift that I nearly stumbled, swaying on my feet and grabbing my head._

"_Welcome home."_

"_Eh?" I blinked several times and lowered my head. I realized it was nighttime and we were outside. More so, this land...I cried out when I saw my cottage, just in the outskirts of my town. I ran to the gate and looked inside. My herbs...the garden was in slight disarray, but everything was close to how I left. I was home. I was home!!! I turned around to face him, his eyes on me. "Thank you so much!!"_

"_It was nothing," he said neutrally. "Just keep in mind what I told you." He turned around as though to leave._

"_W-Wait!!" I called suddenly. "Would you like some tea? Why not sit down for a moment?" Wait, what was I thinking?! This man kidnapped me and held me hostage!! I mustn't accommodate him!!!_

_The look on his face easily reflected my thoughts. "I have no use for tea, Miss. And besides, I cannot set foot in your house."_

"_But why..." My fingers found something on my fence. I looked down at it to see a cross molded there. I remembered the plant that ensnared me and how my cross repelled it. And this man...he wasn't normal and hated God. Was he evil too?_

_But he returned me home and did no harm to me. How could he be evil?_

"_Good bye then, Miss." He turned back around._

"_W-Wait!!" I cried out again._

_He seemed rather exasperated with me and he turned to face me again. "What is it, woman?"_

"_I..." I hesitated slightly. I gathered up my courage and continued. "My name is Lisa Farenheights. Might I have your name, sir?"_

_He seemed startled by my words and was silent for a long time. Then...I saw it. His mouth turned upwards, but not as a sneer. Almost like...he was smiling._

"_I am a Count," he said to me. "I have many names, but know me by this name: Count Vlad Tepes...Dracula."_

---

"...na. Mina!!"

My eyes snapped open and I flew into a sitting position. "It's _Dracula_!!!"

Soma stared blankly at me. "...What?"

"Huh?" I stared back at him. "Soma?"

"Did you have another dream, Mina?" asked Arikado. I turned to look at him to see him talking with somebody on his cell phone.

"So you've progressed that far, hmm?" asked Chessa, looking at me curiously.

"Wh-What happened?"

"Your head smashed into Soma's knee," said Yoko, running a hand nervously through her hair. "But we threw up a couple of shielding spells to protect us. The house, though..."

I looked at my surroundings and my stomach tightened. My living room was in complete shambles; the walls were cracked and broken, the floor had risen and sunk in certain spots, and furniture laid broken everyone. The whole house must look like this room!!! I couldn't stop the tears that formed in my eyes and spilled down my cheeks. "Oh God..." I covered my face with my hands.

"Mina." I felt Mom's hands on my shoulders. "Please don't get upset. Everyone's alive and uninjured."

"B-B-But our house—everything's ruined!!!"

"We can get it fixed up. It didn't collapse on top of us and thankfully our insurance covers earthquakes. Don't worry."

"I think we have enough cause to worry, though," said Julius. "That wasn't an ordinary earthquake. More so, this site where Dracula was sealed is heavily damaged. Soma's shield held up for as long as it could, but in the end it wasn't enough. This was very deliberate on somebody's part."

"B-But..." I rubbed at my aching head. "What could've broken such a powerful spell?"

"AH!!!!" this shout came from our front door. We all got up and ran to see Hammer standing at it, his face full of shock. "Look at THAT!!!!!"

"Look at what?!" Soma pushed himself to the front of the group and I quickly followed him. He was out the door quickly but he stopped abruptly in his tracks. I nearly ran right into him, but I still got an eyeful of what they all meant.

In the distance, beyond the Tokyo skylights, there was a black, massive shape. Dark clouds had started to gather around it, even as the sky above us was clear.

"What is that?" I asked fearfully.

"So they _did _manage to do it." Chessa brushed past all of us and walked beyond Soma, folding her arms over her chest.

"Manage to do WHAT?!" I demanded. I looked at everyone, but they all seemed to know the answer already.

Chessa looked at me over my shoulder. "That's Castlevania. Dracula's Castle has been revived here in Japan."


	10. Part 10

Part 10

"So…in between targeting Mina and the rest of us, how long have they been planning to resurrect Castlevania?" asked Arikado.

"I'm not exactly sure," said Chessa, text-messaging somebody on her phone. "Nobody within the group has spoken about it. Then just tonight Xenon announced he found a way to do it."

"Wait, so Xenon is the leader?!" I cut in suddenly. "Does he have silver eyes?"

"Never mind that for the moment," Julius interrupted. "Did he say _how _he did it?"

"No, and he wasn't going to give any of us answers. On top of everything else Nancy thought my questioning was 'weird' and so I had to shut up to save myself." Chessa put her cell phone away. "It must be some sort of complicated dark arts. The Order was pretty inept with this, as they _did_ revive Dracula and his Castle several times. But I don't think Xenon was a member of the Order; he's acting on his own."

"But they're looking to make Soma their master," said Yoko. "How can they just revive the castle outside of it usual limits if Soma—or Dracula himself—isn't even present? How can it be here when they haven't claimed a master to the castle?"

"This…isn't good," said Arikado, though his voice was perfectly calm.

"Why is that?" asked Soma.

"It's as Yoko says; Castlevania needs to be revived with a Master at its mantle or enough human sacrifices to sustain its dark energy. But I don't sense the loss of innocence, and since they definitely mean to return Soma as Dracula they wouldn't choose somebody to be a stand-in master. This must mean the castle has been revived on the power of this group's magic alone." He paused before he continued. "This might be…out of our element."

"How come?" I asked.

"Because if this group has the power to revive and sustain Castlevania with their own magic and without a master, they either must be complete masters of the dark arts…or they're not human. At all."

"Not human?" I thought back to those faces in their profiles, and Xenon, the silver-eyed man. I knew something was wrong with them—I mean, how could they conceive of doing such terrible things? But not human? Demons in human skin?

Soma shifted beside me and stood up. "Sitting around here debating won't solve anything. We need to get over there and stop them."

"Easier said than done," said Julius, his hand playing with the whip at his side. "That's exactly what they'll be expecting you to do, Soma. If these people have the power to revive the Count's Castle, rest assured they have the power to revert you."

"We can't play into their hands," said Yoko, walking over to Soma. "We don't know what they're fully capable of. Until we do we need to exercise caution—"

"Can we really afford to do that?!" Soma demanded. "The more time we take to try and stop them, the more time _they _have to do whatever it is they plan on doing!!!"

"Soma—"

"And Mina—they've already come after her several times, right out of the blue!! And the attacks on the airplanes…these guys aren't afraid to get caught!!! We _have _to stop them and we have to do it NOW!!!"

"To be honest," said Chessa suddenly. "They _are _expecting you to come charging in. At the same time, though, they're also anticipating that all of you will charge in with Soma. Then they'll take that opportunity to…take care of Mina." She looked at me when she said this.

"…I think," Arikado said finally. "That we should get over there immediately and formulate a plan as we go. It appears Castlevania wasn't resurrected in a residential neighborhood—or if even the populous is aware of its presence. But their confidence is unnerving and thus we must act quickly. However, if they're planning to go after Mina in our absence, then one of us has to stay behind."

"That won't be necessary," I said plainly. "I'll just go with you guys into Castlevania."

It was a spontaneous idea, but I had a pretty good feeling what the reaction would be.

"Absolutely not!!!" yelled Dad.

"Are you crazy?!" Soma yelled, grabbing my shoulders. "They want to kill you and you're planning to just walk right into their hands?!"

"They wouldn't expect that, would they Chessa-san?" I asked her.

"…No, they wouldn't," she said, albeit reluctantly.

"Mina, you not physically prepared to handle a place like Castlevania," said Arikado.

"Well, I've been there before—"

"Against your will, where you spent most of the time under a shielding spell I cast for you."

"…You're right," I admitted. "But I'm just as involved in this as you all are. I won't be some spectator again like three years ago."

"Mina, you were a lot of help," Arikado insisted, his tone impatient. "You may not believe it, but you were an incredible help."

Soma shifted beside me and I glanced at him. What _did _Arikado mean? "…I'll take your word for it. But still, they want to kill me for some reason. I…I don't want anyone to get caught in the crossfire if they come after me when you're gone."

"Mina, your life is in enough danger as it is," said Mom, turning me around to face her. "You can't even imagine the sort of danger that lurks in Castlevania. Powerful vampire hunters have died in there. What makes you think that you, an ordinary young woman with no combat power, can stand a chance?"

"I _have _to do something!!!" I almost sounded like a baby with my unrelenting insistence, but I wasn't going to back down. I'm a grown woman; I didn't need my mother's permission to go someplace. "And I'm not going to make anybody else at risk!! If that means I have to go into that hellhole myself, I'm going to do it!! And don't _any _of you try to stop me!!!"

Silence greeted my outburst. Most everyone looked irritated with me, but Chessa looked intrigued.

Finally, Arikado spoke. "There are dangers in there that you can't cope with, Mina. However…if you're determined to come, we can hardly stop you."

"What?!" screamed my parents.

"Really?!" I cried at the same time.

"And truthfully, this group will hardly wreak havoc on the unsuspecting people while you're inside the Castle. They only want Soma and you, isn't that right Chessa?"

"That's correct," said Chessa, looking at her watch.

"This isn't a good id—" began Mom.

"Arikado-san, thank you so much!!!" I interrupted, rushing over to him.

"Keep in mind," he said sternly. "That the rest of us are trained for this except for you. We can't babysit you in there, Mina, and if we tell you to do something, no matter _what _you'd better do it. Understood?"

"Y-Yes, absolutely."

"I'm not about to let my only child run loose into that hellhole!!!" Dad yelled suddenly. "If she's going, you'd better believe I'm going too!!!"

"But what about the seal?" Yoko asked suddenly. "This site is the spot of Dracula's sealing. It's sacred ground, although evil has trespassed here."

"She's right, Hakuba-san," said Arikado. "This site might have been weakened by the earthquake, but it needs to be maintained. Only you can do that."

Dad sputtered for a few moments. "I-I can't let my daughter go in there by herself!!!"

"You don't have to worry about anything." Soma walked over to stand behind me. "No matter what the danger is, I'll keep an eye on Mina."

"Thanks, Soma," I said, smiling at him.

He didn't look quite as pleased, though. "Arikado's right, though. If I tell you to run, leave, or stay put, do as I say. This isn't some adventure, Mina."

"I know it isn't!! I know what kinds of dangers await us!!! But don't minimize my role or responsibility in this!! They want me dead for some odd reason, and I'm going to find out why and stop them!!!"

Everyone shifted around us. I looked at them in confusion, noticing that Soma was doing the same. Seeing us like this, Arikado spoke. "We're leaving in exactly five minutes, Mina. Get dressed properly and arm yourself with some food if needed. This might take us a bit of time."

---

I did as he said and threw on warm but comfortable clothing; a white Irish cable-knit sweater with a blue shirt underneath, and some black stretch pants. I threw together a couple of sandwiches and grabbed a bottle of water and shoved them into my winter coat. I made sure to say goodbye to my parents, even as they were too anxious to let me leave. Mom hugged me for a long time and Dad had to pull her off of me so I could leave.

We left the shrine cautiously, our eyes to the air and land as we piled into a mini-van to drive towards Castlevania. I didn't expect that we'd be going there via a mini-van, but such close quarters with my longtime friends and companions gave me a measure of comfort.

With each block we passed, and the closer we got to the castle, I became more and more nervous. Tokyo wasn't suppose to be this quiet and yet I didn't see anyone. No businessman, no clubbers, not even a stray dog. The streets were completely deserted. Was it because of the castle? But Arikado said nobody was sacrificed to it and nobody appeared to notice it. Maybe the influence was too strong, then?

"We'll be there in five minutes," Arikado announced to the silent van. It was sort of weird to see him drive, but he was still on edge. About the only person who didn't look nervous was Chessa, although she kept glancing at her watch.

Suddenly, I felt a shift in the seat next to me. I glanced at Soma and saw his eyelids were half-lidded. He was pale and his breathing was heavy. "Soma, are you okay?"

Everyone except Arikado turned to look at Soma. Soma abruptly sat straight up and forced a smile. "I'm fine, Mina."

"Are you still feeling jetlag?" A cold knot formed in my stomach. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, after all. You're still very tired."

"It's too late to turn back now," Arikado announced ominously. "The presence of the castle is shifting. They know we're coming."

"Take a power nap," suggested Hammer. "Even a quick five-minute nap will do wonders for you."

"I'm fine, really. Once I'm up and active I'll feel much better.

'Active'. As in 'fighting'. How could he have a clear head for fighting?! I looked out the window idly to see a row of vending machines against a concrete wall. An idea popped into my head. "Arikado-san, stop the car!!!"

Surprised by my outburst, Arikado put his foot to the brakes. My seatbelt was off and I was flying out of the car before it came to a complete stop. "Mina!!! Get back here!!!"

I ran towards the vending machines, skimming them for what I wanted. I found what I was looking for and yanked out my wallet. I bought five of them, but it's exactly what was needed and I hurried back to the van without any hassle.

"So…what was the point of that?" asked. Julius.

"Here." I shoved the cans at Soma. "Georgia Max Coffee. Nothing will wake you up—or _keep _you awake—better than this."

Soma took the cans of coffee, laughing a little to himself. "I remember this!!! You wouldn't drink anything else in the morning, not even the coffee your mom made!!!"

I shrugged. "It helped me get through my middle school and high school exams. I'm sure it'll help you take down these guys."

"Now _that's _what I'm talking about!!!" yelled Hammer. He reached over and took one of Soma's cans. "You wouldn't believe how hard this jetlag has been for me!!!" He cracked open the car and began guzzling it like crazy.

"…I much prefer Boss coffee," said Yoko thoughtfully.

"So you drink vending machine coffee too?" asked Julius.

Yoko shrugged. "Sometimes it's exactly what I need to get me up."

We'd started driving again. Hammer quickly drained his can of coffee and tossed it over his shoulder into the back of the van. I saw Arikado visibly tense in the front seat, but he said nothing.

We were five blocks from the castle when the song 'Pomp and Circumstance' echoed throughout the car. From where I sat I saw Chessa visibly tense.

"Oh shit…stop the car!!!" she yelled.

Arikado came to a very abrupt stop. Chessa pulled out her phone and checked the caller-I.D. "Shit…I have to go."

"Go? Right now?!" I cried.

"They want me to report in. I have to change back into the uniform they issued me. Oh…" Chessa shoved the cell phone back into her pocket. "At this stage it's too late for me to use discretion, but it appears they don't know I'm helping you. If that changes I'll try to contact you guys immediately…or I'll be dead, but in any case we'll all know that they know that you know."

"Will you be helping us any further?" asked Arikado.

"I'll try to. My mission objective is not quite complete. If I see you again and act different, know that somebody is monitoring me." She pulled open the van door and quickly turned to smile at Soma and me. "It was nice meeting you both. You're not what I expected you to be."

I stared at her mutely. "…What?"

But she didn't answer. She slammed the door closed behind her and took off down the street and rounded a corner, out of sight.

"That's…weird that her ringtone for the people she's spying on is 'Pomp and Circumstance'," said Hammer, rubbing a hand over his face. "Man, but I haven't heard that song in years."

"So you _did _graduate from high school?" asked Julius. Hammer glared at him.

"We're almost there," announced Arikado.

He was right; I could clearly see Castlevania now. A stab of foreboding overcame me, along with…nostalgia? Well, I _had _been there before. Involuntarily though, I grabbed for Soma's hand. He gave me a sideways glance and smiled slightly.

Arikado stopped the car. "This is it. Everyone be on alert."

We were still two blocks away from Castlevania, but I'm sure Arikado and the others wanted to be in a position where they could take action immediately, if needed. We got out of the van quickly, but I was still struck by how silent it was. The sun was going to rise in a few hours, but not one car passed us as we walked down the street. My heart began hammering wildly. Was I really prepared for what Castlevania held?

"Mina." Soma squeezed my hand slightly. "Don't worry. I've faced many threats before and won. This time will be no different."

I forced a smile at him. "I know, Soma." _ I HOPE this will be no different than what you're use to. It's certainly a change for me…_

Arikado led our march and we rounded a corner around a concrete wall. He stopped in his tracks. "Everyone, stop!!!"

Everyone was immediately on alert, and Soma brandished some sort of exotic sword. It seemed to emulate pure energy…magic. "W-What's wrong?" I stammered.

Arikado looked all around us, as if testing the air. After another long moment he spoke. "There's nobody here."

"I don't sense any monsters nearby either," said Julius, fingering the whip at his hip. "This is…strange."

"So what now?" asked Soma.

"…We go on," said Arikado reluctantly. "This very well might be an ambush, though."

We started walking again, though everyone kept their weapons out. Soma no longer held my hand, but he kept a hand on my arm as we continued to round the corner. I gasped as I saw the gates of Castlevania right in front of me, no more than fifty feet away!!

"You all right, Mina?" Soma asked.

"Y-Yes." I followed them, feeling increasingly on edge. I began to feel more and more like this wasn't such a good idea. But it was too late to turn back now…I could only go forward with everyone else.

A tattered medieval drawbridge surrounded on all sides by massive black brick walls seemed to beckon us. I tried not to flinch as I stepped onto the old wood, hearing it groan beneath my feet. The bridge had no rails, only the rope that secured it to the castle wall. I looked over the side, surprised to see a bottomless pit for a moat. This was in the middle of the city, though!!! Why would it appear here?

_Is it because of me? _No, that couldn't be it. It had to be because of Soma. He was Dracula, after all…

_And a 'Dracula' kidnapped Lisa in your dreams._

No…I wasn't going to think about that. I gulped as I made another careful step across the bridge.

"Mina, hold on for a second."

"Eh?!" I spun around, realizing for the first time that I was the only one on the bridge. Nobody else had followed, though Soma was now on the bridge and walking towards me. "Did some—"

A load shrieking groan ripped through the air, scaring me deeply. Soma flinched too and stopped in his tracks at the beginning of the bridge.

Suddenly…it lurched. The bridge gave a violent heave upward. I screamed as I lost my balance and fell to the ground. To my growing horror the bridge began rising!!! My body slid down the remaining way and fell hard onto the ground…inside the castle grounds.

"_Soma!!!_"

I looked upwards. Soma was dangling from the top, his hands gripping the edge of the bridge. A wail erupted from my throat at his great height. "Soma, hang on!!!"

Another pair of hands appeared on the edge and Arikado heaved his upper body over the edge. "So—" His eyes caught mine briefly and he looked back at Soma. "Don't worry about us!!! We'll get in somehow, just protect Mina!!!"

"Arrgh…" I could hear Soma straining from the task of holding himself up. "A-Arikado…the pit—"

"I won't die so easily. Just both of you survive!!!" the bridge was about to close, right on top of Arikado and Soma's fingers. Arikado held out his hand, which quickly connected with the wall. To my utter shock he seemed able to hold the gate open effortlessly!!! Still, that seemed all he could do. "We'll meet up later. Don't let anything happen to Mina!!!"

"Ah—okay!!!" Soma yelled. "We'll see you later!!!"

Soma let go. I screamed as he free-fell, but was further shocked to see him land unscathed on his two feet. Wow…I probably should've expected it, shouldn't I?

"Are you all right?" Soma helped me to my feet.

"Yes, I—"

BOOM!!!! The gate closed shut.

"ARIKADO-SAN!!!!!!!" I shrieked. I pressed my hands to the drawbridge and pushed, but nothing happened.

Soma put a hand on my shoulder. "There's nothing we can do now. Everyone will be all right. Here." Soma opened a can of Georgia Max and handed it to me. "Drink this. You'll need energy and it'll keep you warm."

I drank a big gulp and handed it back to him. He seemed startled to share a can with me, but drank some without complaints. I looked at our surroundings curiously. "Is this the front gate? This isn't how I remember it." I remembered a stone fortress with hideous gargoyles and massive stairs leading up to the front door. In this place however, I could actually see the ground. Stray blades of grass and flower weeds sprung up around stone…or was it marble? There were no statues, but maybe remains of statues? And there _was _a staircase leading to the front door, but it looked broken, despite the fresh red carpet laid upon it, and the front doors were missing altogether.

Soma had an answer for me, though. "Arikado told me once that Castlevania itself is enchanted and hardly takes on the same appearance twice." He turned to face me. "In any case, let's get going. But first…" He waved a hand over me. I saw a bright light and suddenly I felt energized. "I cast Final Guard on you. It should last for about an hour, but you should stay close to me." He paused before he continued. "The entrance hall can be a bit of a hassle."

"…All right," I said slowly. "Thank you, Soma."

"Not at all." He motioned for me to follow him. We walked up towards those steps and I couldn't help but take in my surroundings. This front gate area was very much like the city now; dark and very, very quiet. I didn't see any monsters, but I knew that would change soon.

"I'm going to move fast, so keep up with me," said Soma. As soon as the words were out of his mouth he took off running through the front door and into the entrance hall. Soma told me stories of how the entrance hall looked, like a dark and bleak cave. This entrance hall though was…bright. Candles burning on candlesticks and swinging from chandeliers illuminated the whole area. The walls looked dark and worn, but the floor was shiny and wine-colored. It was nice…and weird

I ran as fast as I could to keep up with him, which sadly wasn't by much. He was a few feet ahead of me when the floor in front of him broke and sent pieces flying into the air. From this spot, a rotted arm emerged and with it the torso and body of a zombie. Soma wasted no time, swinging his sword and cutting its head clean off.

All around us holes formed in the floor and zombies tried dragging themselves up to get at us. Soma took care of them all effortlessly, all the while coaxing me to stay close. I wish he'd slow down and that would make keeping up with him easier. But I put myself in this position and so I'd have to deal with it.

"Heeeegh." I felt the floor break behind me. Before I could react a cold and rubbery hand gripped my ankle. But just as quickly that hand caught fire and the zombie disintegrated before he poked his head out.

"Mina." Soma grabbed my arm. "We have to get moving. These guys will keep popping up forever."

"R-Right!!" We took off running again, although Soma had a grip on my arm to help me keep up. The monsters that came at us, zombies, bats, and skeleton scared me, but Soma dealt with them without batting an eyelash, swinging his sword and killing them.

We ran…oh, I don't know how long or how far. It seemed like such a long time, but I'm sure it couldn't have been more than twenty minutes. The scenery kept changing around us. The walls turned colors in some spots. The floor varied between the wine-colored from the entrance hall to just plain wood. I was tired from running and dodging!! Soma was doing all the fighting with _jetlag_ and yet he fought like he was at his best. It was truly amazing.

We came to a set of stairs lit by candles. Soma waved me over to them, though he guided me over a very loose piece of flooring, and we started climbing. "Do you know where to go, Soma?"

"We need to get to the Castle Keep, but I have a feeling that'll take a day if we're lucky," said Soma. I could hear exhaustion in his voice, but he still pressed on. I would have to, too.

Midway up the steps, I saw a green blur from the top. A tiny little mole man hopped from step to rail, laughing hideously. Soma swung his sword at him, but it jumped away from him. After a particularly high jump it landed square on Soma's head and used it as a launching pad back into the air.

At ME.

"YEHEHEHEHE!!!!!!!!" it snarled at me.

"STAY AWAY!!!!!" I hollered, stumbling backwards down the stairs. This only seemed to make it laugh even harder and he continued jumping towards me.

A flash of energy burst in my vision and the mole man exploded. Soma must've killed him, but it still startled me and I stumbled back a few more steps, back down the stairs and over the wooden floor—

SNAP!!!

My foot got caught on the loose flooring. I saw horror flash over Soma's face, but he couldn't stop it. And _I _couldn't stop it as my foot twisted under the strain of being caught…and the floor gave way…

---

"…_Miss?"_

"_Ah!!" I snapped out of my trance and raised my head. "F-Forgive me for that."_

"_Think nothing of it." Mistress Templeton was a longtime patient of mine and was always very kind to me, as she always was to those around her. "Even as a doctor you mustn't neglect your own health." Elderly, widowed, and motherless, she had no one to care for her. If she had, mayhap one such might be in here for to tend to her needs instead of herself, with a mild fever._

"_T-Thank you." I turned back to the task I'd been working. Ah, I'd been making tea leaves out of chirayata. "I'll have this done shortly."_

"…_How fares you?" asked Mistress Templeton._

"_Oh, I'm doing fine. Why do you ask?"_

"_Well, is it any wonder? You'd just suffered and survived a great ordeal, Miss Lisa. Thank the Lord you can return to work."_

_My hands paused briefly before they continued their work. "Do not worry for me, Mistress Templeton. My 'ordeal' as you describe it, happened four months ago. Besides, I would hardly call losing my horse and being lost in a forest for a fortnight an ordeal."_

"_Praise the Lord for your extensive knowledge of plants and sheer grace. Men of lesser misfortunes have perished under similar circumstances."_

"…_I am very thankful for my safe return home," I said after a long moment of silence. The leaves were finished and I procured an empty jar from the shelf. I stored the leaves in there and handed it to Mistress Templeton. "Here. __Boil this chirayata in water and filter it out. If you drink it twice a day before meals, your fever will disappear."_

_Mistress Templeton gratefully took the jar from me. "I thank you, Miss Lisa. I will be able to sleep much easier with this by my side." Suddenly, she looked uncomfortable. "Ah…about payment—"_

"_Come to me in the fit of health and that will be enough payment for me," I told her cheerfully._

"_B-But I cannot accept this for free—"_

"_Aye, I am a doctor who must make a living. But I cannot be so mercenary to demand money of a patient who cannot pay. If you must insist on repaying me, do so later. Concentrate on your own health. The air is getting cooler and cooler and will have a negative effect on someone your age."_

_Mistress Templeton bowed slightly. "God be with you, Miss Lisa. I won't forget such kindness." Then she turned and left out the door. Strangely I could hear shouting in the distance, which quickly silenced once the door closed._

_She was my last customer of the day. I went about tidying up as best as I could. It was too much of a bother to live in the city, but I always felt terrible that my patients had to go out of their way to leave the city in order to receive treatment. Regardless, I always had a steady stream of customers. Some couldn't pay upfront, but I couldn't deny them treatment. If they couldn't pay me with money they paid me in trade, either with livestock or food or textiles I could trade. It was a very modest style of living and I preferred it this way._

_My workspace was small and so it took me no time at all to clean up. I walked to the window, catching a glimpse of Mistress Templeton making the long walk home. I was worried about her condition. How might a woman her age with a fever make it home safely?_

"_God forgive me for my thoughtlessness," I murmured to myself. I grabbed my cloak and wrapped it around myself. Mayhap I hurry I might catch up to her—_

_I stilled as I opened the front door. The shouting I'd scarcely paid attention to earlier was now echoing across the countryside. I stood frozen on the threshold, staring into the town. Church bells pealed joyously, but there was nothing joyful about that shouting. It almost sounded like…a chant…_

_I looked away from the town. No…it was a witch hunt…they were hunting witches. Would I dare go into town with __**that**__ frenzy to greet me? But Mistress Templeton…how would she fare against those people? I turned back around, but to my dismay I could no longer see her. And I didn't know where she currently lived._

"_God help us." I walked back into my house and closed the door behind me. If evil were to be vanquished, then it was by God's will. But…God didn't exercise His will here. Witch hunts and burnings had scarcely happened when I was a child, but now they were happening everywhere. I knew many of the people who'd been tried and executed. Some of them were my patients. They were no more evil than a newborn child. Or even no more evil than the ones who hunted them._

"…_**And besides, I cannot set foot in your house."**_

_My heart gave a lurch. Four months…was it really that long? To think that my captivity seemed so much longer and yet time had flown since I'd been returned home._

_I'd kept my promise, though. I'd told not a soul about his existence, instead making up a story that I lost Moses and that in turn made ME lost. Most accepted my story but others were far more suspicious. But there was very little I could do to stop their assumptions. After all, my story was a total lie._

_I made preparations for dinner, but I wasn't hungry. I picked at my food, feeling so discontent. What was wrong with me? I'd always been alone. Why was I so uneasy then? Was I afraid that he—Vlad—would come after me? No; it's been four months since he kidnapped me. And I've said nothing about him; for what reason would he have to come and see me?_

_My stomach turned. I pushed away my dinner plate and wandering into my bedchamber. I fell face-first onto my bed and curled my fingers into the blanket. I sighed heavily and closed my eyes._

_Lonely…I was lonely. I didn't like being alone, even though I'd been so for years. Ever since I was with Vlad…something happened. I spent so little time with him inside his home and he was such a…__**strange **__person. He spoke ill of God and was repelled by all things related to Him. Someone like this would be the perfect target for the witch hunters and yet I didn't see him that way. I felt…_

_I rolled over onto my back and stared at the ceiling. It wasn't just his presence I missed. Since the moment I came back home—nay, since the moment I first saw him, I've been plagued with nightmares. They made no sense to me before, but now I could see images clearly. I was me, and yet I was not. I had a family, a husband—and I loved him and he loved me. But I didn't know him…and he didn't call me by my name._

_I groaned quietly and covered my face with my hands. This was almost unbearable. How could I tend to my patients when I was so…__**distracted**__? What kind of a doctor am I when my personal life is so unresolved? What was going on?_

"_Lisa…"_

_I cried out and sat up. Somebody called my name, but night had fallen. Who would visit me in the middle of the night?!_

_Yet, I knew the answer. I flew off my bed and ran for my front door. I pushed it open, almost violently, and hurried outside. Still, I stopped in my tracks on the pebble path leading to my gate._

"_Did you call for me?"_

"_Vlad…" there he was. His clothes were still black and his complexion still very white, but he was there, standing beyond my gate._

_Even so, he seemed…almost irritated with me. "I felt you, Lisa, your need for my presence. But I'm not sure why."_

"_I…" I approached my gate very carefully. I knew I would be safe so long as I stayed on my own property, but I couldn't stop myself. "A-Aye, Milord. I did want to see you."_

"_For what purpose?" Despite his apparent annoyance, his tone was very soft._

"_I…I cannot say. But I…" I felt heat on my cheeks and looked away. "I've been t-thinking of you, and so I just wanted to see you."_

_Vlad seemed at a loss for words, which further added to my embarrassment. When he spoke again, he allowed his annoyance to show. "I've told you before, woman. I've spared you because I cannot kill you. And I know you've kept my secret and so there's been no need of mine to see you. But never forget that I am not a kind man. I know the way you humans work, the way you fear and hunt evil. I…am like the witches you believe you see in people but I am much __**worse**__. I am not someone you want to know, Lisa, so don't try to know me." He turned away partially. "While I'm happy to see that your life is back on track, this will be the last time I ever see you…unless you break your vow."_

"_B-But wait!!!" I cried. I reached the gate and gripped the top of it. "Vlad…I know you're not like me. And I know there is something about you that is sinister. But to condemn you for this would force me in turn to condemn mankind itself, the animals and the trees. All of us have darkness to us. You…you're dwelling endlessly in this darkness and I feel that it's consumed you…but not entirely." My hands relaxed slightly. "Please…you hate God and you're so destitute. But it doesn't have to be that way."_

"_And how do you plan to change me, woman?" he asked suddenly, his tone harsh and sarcastic. "Will you drive away the darkness? Will you lick my wounds and promise me happiness?" he pointed a finger at me. "You know __**nothing **__about me. We are strangers, Lisa. But even if we may know each other better, there is nothing you can do for me. Do NOT make me promises you cannot keep and don't fool yourself into thinking you can save me." He paused before he continued. "I do not WANT to be saved."_

_Vlad turned his back on me. "Goodbye, Lisa. Do not call for me again." He started to walk away._

"_I know you don't mean that!!" I cried. Throwing caution to the wind I pushed the gate open and followed him. "If you really didn't care, if you really wanted solitude, then you would ignore me!!! You wouldn't have come out here to yell at me!!! But I know you need help!!! I know something is hurting you terribly and I cannot leave you like this!! It—dammit Mathias, look at me when I talk to you!!!"_

_Vlad stopped dead in his tracks and quickly spun around. "What did you say?"_

_I stopped as well. "If you would let me help you—"_

"_NO!!" He advanced on me so quickly I hadn't time to move out of the way. He grabbed my shoulder with such force they would surely bruise. "What did you say? What did you call me?!?!"_

"_M-Milord," I stammered, suddenly very fearful. Why was he so angry? "And I-I refer to you as Vlad, b-but forgive my rudeness—"_

"_No." He squeezed my shoulders even harder. "Just now, you DID NOT call me Vlad!!!"_

"…_I didn't?"_

_He said nothing. Suddenly I was hit by the strong whirlwind again. I knew with growing dread he was taking me away from my home. He was taking me back to his house…and with his rage he had against me, he might surely kill me now._

_The wind faded and Vlad shoved away from me. I stumbled a few steps before I quickly recognized my surroundings. It was the same chamber he imprisoned me in months ago._

"_Vlad…" I raised my hands slightly. "What's wrong? What did I say to offend you?"_

_He slowly circled around me and I felt my body stiffen. After a few moments he came to a stop right in front of me. "You called me 'Mathias', Lisa."_

_My throat tightened. Did I really? I didn't even realize what I was saying in the heat of the moment. No wonder he was so furious. He must think I was ranting at somebody else vicariously through him. "I-I-I didn't mean to—"_

"_Where did you hear that name?!" he interrupted, his voice demanding. "And why would you refer to me as that?"_

"_I-I don't know." I stepped backwards away from him, but he only followed my steps. "I-I didn't—"_

"_Tell me." He thankfully didn't grab my sore shoulders again, but instead my upper arms. He pushed me backwards and pinned me to the wall. "You must tell me; I HAVE to know!!!" His sudden desperation was now more frightening than his anger. He let go of my arms and cupped my face, pulling all the hair out of it. "I know you; I've seen your face before. But I—"his voice broke slightly and he quickly shook his head. "Lisa…tell me now or I will be driven mad!!!"_

_He was no longer angry. The pain, the destitution…I'd known it'd been there inside of him, but to see it so blatantly now broke my heart. Tears stung my eyes and I closed them. I couldn't speak more than a whisper. "A dream…I know a Mathias in my dreams."_

"_How?" his voice was so shaky…he was scared and sad, but why?_

_I sniffled slightly, feeling the tears leak out from my closed eyes. Words came to my lips that I barely had control over. "He…he's my husband."_

_Vlad was silent. One of his hands trembled against my cheek. He cupped my face and I could feel him looking at me so closely. I opened my eyes, letting more tears leak out. It was so hard to see the sorrow in his usually cold face, but…_

"_Oh…" it came out as such a horribly painful gasp. To my horror, blood welled up in his eyes and spilled down his cheeks like tears._

"_A-Are you all right?!" I cried, my medicinal instincts taking over._

_Vlad laughed at my question. Before I could react further I was crushed into a tight hug. Cold lips descended upon mine and kissed me so fiercely…and yet so gently too. I can't remember the last time someone kissed me…but it'd certainly never been like this._

_He broke it too soon and cupped my face again. The blood-tears were gone, and so was the pain in his face. But his eyes…those silver eyes shone like gemstones. "I'm fine. You're here…you have returned to me."_

---

Ah…my whole body hurt so _much_.

My face felt wet and incredibly dirty as I opened my eyes. The whole area was shrouded in darkness, except for one stray torch. I could barely see anything, though it seemed like I was lying at the end of a corridor and not in a room.

"Ugh…" Somehow, I got myself into a sitting position. But all at once my stomach turned and I barely had time to turn my head before I began vomiting uncontrollably. My head ached so terribly and my vision swam, adding more to my nausea.

_Do I have a concussion? _It took several minutes before I could stop vomiting, but even then I felt sick. I touched a hand to my head, vaguely aware of a searing pain in my left foot. How many times have I hit my head in the past week? If I wasn't careful I could cause serious damage to myself.

But…what happened? I remember…the floor caved in and I fell. How deep is this hole? I lowered my hand from my head and looked at it. It was dark…covered with blood.

"MINA!!!!!!"

"So…" It was difficult to look around me, with the waning light and my aching head. After a few minutes I realized the shouting came from _above_ me, but it still took a great deal to lift my head up. "So-Soma?"

"Mina!!!!Are you all right?!?!" Soma's face filled the mouth of the hole. But…it had to be at thirty feet above me. I fell that far? No wonder I was so injured, but how did I survive that?

"Soma…" I had to close my eyes to stop the spinning. "Soma…I'm hurt…"

"I'll be right there!!! Don't worry about a thing!!!"

"Okay…" I felt like lying down again, but I couldn't. I couldn't forget that this was Castlevania, and I wasn't safe here.

It was then that I heard it. A very loud shifting, almost grinding on the dry, dirt floor. Fear shock through me. "Soma, somebody's coming!!"

"Mina, I can't hear you!!" Soma shouted above. "Just stay put, okay?!"

"Soma…" I looked into the darkness, where the rustling came from. What could I do? Would Soma reach me in time before…whatever this was, came for me?! I looked at the broken pieces of wood surrounding me and grabbed the largest one.

Finally, the shifting noise stopped but I saw nobody. Then, I saw the flicker of a shadow in the dim light and my heart gave a lurch.

Something nuzzled my leg. I looked down to see a long line of ridged bone. I panicked for a moment, thinking it was my leg. Then…it moved. It shifted ever so slightly. I stared down at it dumbly, not sure of what to do.

I didn't have long to wait. Abruptly, the bone whipped backwards, into the darkness. A loud rumbling roaring echoed down the corridor and I covered my ears, whimpering to myself. What's going on? What enemy lurked down here? And Soma was still above us…

The torch flickered again and I saw it. It was a skull, a hideously monstrous skull. It was gigantic too, taking up the entire cavern. It hissed and roared loudly and began snapping its teeth at me once it saw me. Long ridged bone limbs whipped out from its body, one of which swung at me and wrapped around my right leg.

And all I could do was scream.


	11. Part 11

Part 11

The appendage tightened around my leg so hard I thought it might snap in half. But I was too terrified to feel any pain.

That hideous mouth opened and this skull…thing let out a loud, horrible roar. Suddenly, I was airborne, swinging upside down high in the air by my one leg. My screams only grew louder and shriller and my head swam. I was only dimly aware of several more of these bone arm/tentacle things waving around and I felt the brush of wind as one narrowly missed my head.

"MINA!!!!!"

Suddenly, the ceiling—floor—above me exploded. A hole even bigger than the one I created formed as broken pieces of wood fell down towards us. Soma jumped down through the hole, his sword high above his head. He swung the sword at the limb holding me, severing it where it held me.

The skull monster roared in pain and fury, pulling the damaged limb back towards itself. But that didn't stop three more from swinging violently at us. Soma had grabbed me as the connection broke and after briefly jumping off the side of the wall, he narrowly dodged the swinging limbs and landed on the ground a few feet away. "Mina, are you all right?!"

"Ugh…"I feebly pulled the severed bone limb off my leg. Tiny little puncture holes lined my thigh, a few of them bleeding superficially. "I…think so, Soma." My head swam even more and I grabbed at it.

Soma suddenly cupped my face in his hands and looked into my eyes. After a long moment he said, "I think you have a concussion, Mina."

"That's what I thought, too." I yelped as one of the limbs smacked the dirt beside us.

Soma let me go and stood up, arming himself with his sword again. "Don't worry, Mina. I'll get you out of this." Then he turned to engage the monster.

I felt sick all over again, but I think it had little to do with my concussion. This battle should be no problem for Soma, right? He's faced much worse than a gigantic skull.

The tide seemed to be in his favor, too. Despite its enormous size the skull seemed to do little else other than wave bony tentacle limbs around and snap its massive jaws at us. Soma developed a fight pattern very quickly, dodging the limbs and slicing them off piece-by-piece, shortening them so that their threat became equally small. It was tiring for him, but the skull couldn't touch him otherwise.

Or…so I thought. After ten minutes of this, Soma suddenly stumbled when he dodged yet again. One of the shortened limbs suddenly shot out and wrapped around his foot. Before he could react he was quickly swung through the air, almost like a towel. He was spun so quickly he was nothing but a big white blur (even as my vision produced a lot of blurs for me). After a few moments the limb stopped and swung Soma straight at the wall, slamming him into it back-first as hard as it could.

"_SOMA!!!!_" I wailed. I tried to get up, but pain shot up my leg from my hurt left foot. It was the foot that got caught in the floor; I must've twisted it somehow during the fall. God, how could I think I could help Soma in any way?! I was so seriously injured now that I couldn't stand!!! And now Soma was working twice as hard to stop this monster in order to protect me!!!

Soma fell to the floor in a heap, but he stirred almost immediately. Even so, the skull turned its attention to me. Trying to fight my fear, I grabbed for another piece of wood as one of those limbs reached for me. I swung with all my strength and hit the limb before it could touch me. The piece of wood snapped in half, but it seemed to hurt the skull enough to make it retreat. But I knew more would come and I looked for another piece of wood.

"_Persephone._"

I suddenly felt a powerful force of wind. I cried out and grabbed at the ground as the air itself seemed to turn into a suction hole. I didn't know where it was coming from, but suddenly I heard the skull give a peculiar roar. I opened my eyes to see it moving across the floor as though being dragged. I dimly realized that though _I _felt the force of the wind, I wasn't really moving at all. I couldn't see what was causing this, but I could tell that it was coming from one concentrated spot.

Where Soma was lying.

After a few more moments, the wind stopped and the skull monster was gone. I didn't care where it went, just so long as I didn't have to see it again. I looked to where Soma had fallen and I saw him standing up, though he was using the wall for leverage.

"I…probably should've used that at the beginning," he said, his voice out of breath. He looked towards me. "You okay, Mina?"

"…Yes," I said quietly.

Soma started walking towards me. He winced and suddenly hugged his side. "I should've known…" he grumbled to himself. He knelt next to me. "I know a place where we can go to rest. Well…it might now be there _now_, but I imagine it's somewhere—"

"Are _you _all right, Soma?!" I interrupted.

Soma waved a dismissive hand. "I'll be fine. I've seen worse—"

I reached out and touched the side he was favoring. He grunted in pain and winced. My fingers ghosted over his ribcage and I felt an irregularly. "Soma, you broke your ribs!!!!"

"Like I said, I know where we can heal." He kept his voice calm.

But _I_ was anything but calm. Soma got hurt…and he did it to protect me. If I hadn't come there, this wouldn't have happened. He wouldn't have met that awful monster and he would be able to travel much easier through here. Tears stung my eyes and I covered my mouth with my hand. "Oh, Soma…"

"It's really all right, Mina—"

"I'm so sorry!!!!" I wailed, unable to stop my tears. "I'm sorry, Soma!!! I'm so sorry!!!"

Soma was silent for a very long and telling moment. Finally, he stood up and pulled me up with him. "Don't apologize, Mina. I'll be all right and so will you. Here, lean on me from my left side. With any luck we won't face any bigger enemies like this any time soon, but I'll need to be armed in the meantime."

We could both become easy prey like this, as injured as we were. But this didn't deter Soma. I tried to stop crying so I could focus as much as I can and help Soma, but it was very hard. _I _was badly injured, but I could feel Soma's pain radiating off him. His breathing was becoming labored as we moved and his face strained from the obvious pressure. I felt so terrible for putting him in this position.

---

As I expected, many monsters began rushing at us upon sensing our injuries and smelling my blood. Soma fought them all off easily enough and he summoned Souls when he could, even if it cost him a little more energy. It was hard to believe that we barely got so far in this death trap and we ended up like this, but I tried to stay strong and positive. Soma was trying to act like nothing was wrong, but I knew he was worried.

Finally, we entered a very quiet and _empty _corridor. Sparse candles lit our way, but I didn't sense any monsters nearby and neither did Soma.

"…I need a break," he announced halfway down this hallway. A pair of ornate double doors beckoned us a few feet away, but we simply slid down the wall and sat there. "How are you feeling, Mina?"

"Fine," I told him. He glared at me and I winced slightly. "All right…my head still hurts and so does my foot, but it doesn't seem like I'm bleeding anymore."

"Hmm. I'm glad to hear that." Soma closed his eyes slightly.

"How are _you_ feeling?" I asked him.

"…I think two of my ribs are broken. I'm sorry I didn't find that haven in the entrance hall, but with any luck we'll find it in this upcoming area."

"Yeah…" I looked down at my hands. "Soma…I really am sorry about this."

"And I told you not to be."

"But I—"

"We're both injured because of circumstances. It's not anybody's fault otherwise. Besides…" He opened his eyes slightly. "I like the company."

"But—"

"It can be difficult, Mina, to face all of this alone. It was torture for me to do this when I was eighteen. It was a great help to be able to go back outside and talk to you every now and then."

"_I'm sorry I haven't been much help to you."_

"_That's not true, I feel a bit relieved now."_

"And you letter when I fought With Light…every step of the way on my journeys I've been uplifted because of you. No matter what, I'm glad you're here with me now."

"…Thank you, Soma," I said genuinely. I could feel my heart beating very rapidly by his words. I know he spoke of our friendship and yet I couldn't help but want to feel he meant something more. "This short experience has been a very telling one. I'll try to be more useful to you from now on."

Soma managed a small smile. "You _are _useful, Mina."

"So here you two are."

We both jumped at this new voice and winced at our wounds. Footsteps emerged from the shadows and stopped just in front of us. I cringed when I saw the rim of a white trench coat, but once I looked up I was relieved at who I saw.

"You both seemed to have gotten yourselves into trouble," Chessa greeted us. Gone was her other outfit, including the nun's hat, and in its place was a…unique ensemble of white and tan clothing. "I would've expected more of Dracula."

"_Soma_," I corrected her harshly. "His name is Soma, not Dracula."

Chessa nodded to this. "Of course. I'm sorry for my impudence."

"Don't mention it," said Soma. "So what's going on? Are you on-duty?"

"…Technically. But Xenon is not present here so that gives me a little freedom to do reconnaissance. And check on you guys, too." Her brow furrowed slightly. "But where's Arikado and the others? Didn't they come in with you two?"

"The gate closed behind us," Soma muttered, trying to stand up. "It must've sensed my presence and closed off intruders."

"Hmm, I see. No wonder you're having a hard time." I didn't like the implication of her words, but she continued. "The gate reopened a few minutes ago, so they should be on their way in."

"That's wonderful news!!!" I cried, and then winced at the pain in my head.

Chessa looked us both over and shook her head. "This won't do at all. Do you have any healing potions, Soma?"

Soma shook his head. "Hammer has most of our supplies."

"I see. Well, there happens to be a room in this Gala that can heal you both—"

"You found the haven?!" Soma cried.

"Of course I know where it is." Chessa pulled out a rolled-up piece of parchment and unrolled it for us to see. "Here's a map of the lower sector of Castlevania. I forgot to give it to you before, but it should be useful to you now."

Soma took the map and pocketed it. "Please, just take us to that room."

Chessa smiled. "I'm ready whenever you are."

I remembered the "haven" as Soma described it the last time he was in the castle. It was a small dimly lit room with a beautiful Madonna-like fountain statue. Upon resting at its feet Soma found that all of his aches and pains were diminished and he could press onward with full health. Why would Dracula make such rooms anyways? It always puzzled me.

_This _haven, though…it was beyond anything I might've expected. When Chessa opened the door, it wasn't the same room. It didn't even seem like a room at all!!! It was like we'd stepped outside into a colorful garden. Green trees framed the area and beds of flowers created a pathway to a small lake where the statue of a winged Angel stood. There was even a _sky _in here!!! And light illuminated the room overhead like a sun!!!

Soma seemed as equally stunned by this room as I was. "What is this?"

Chessa smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "This is what Castlevania produced for a haven. No monsters can enter here and you can rest here." She motioned to the small lake. "Drink some of the water and sleep for a little while. You'll wake up with no injuries."

Soma was still skeptical, but we trudged along the short path to the lake. Soma set me down at its edge first and carefully knelt down beside it. "Let me try it first, Mina."

"But shouldn't—" I began.

Too late. Soma took a handful of water and drank it. Relief flooded through me as I almost immediately saw the color return to his face. He nodded to me. "It's all right."

I scooped up water between my two hands and drank it. My headache melted away as if it never existed and all the other little aches and pains began to fade. I looked down to see the puncture wounds in my thigh close up. The only thing that didn't fix immediately was my foot, but that didn't bother me.

"How do you feel?" asked Chessa.

"Better," answered Soma. I nodded in agreement.

"Go ahead and rest a little. I'll redirect monsters and the other cult members from this area." 'Pomp and Circumstance' suddenly cut through the air and Chessa winced. "On second thought…I have to leave for the moment. But you two should be all right here." With that said, she took off running back towards the door and slammed it shut behind her.

Soma helped me towards a nearby tree and sat down together beneath it. "We'll be all right, Mina. Nobody said this would be easy."

"Yeah." I stretched out my hurt foot as carefully as I could and relaxed against the tree. "But I'm glad this is here. For what it's worth Dracula had a pretty good—"

Soma slid suddenly, his head hitting my shoulder and staying there. "S-Soma?!"

"I'm fine." I could hear the exhaustion in his voice. "Let me…let me rest for a moment."

"Absolutely," I said, smiling at him. He didn't respond any further to me, having drifted quickly off to sleep.

For a long moment I just sat there, soaking in this illusion and enjoying Soma's company. I leaned my head down until it touched his. I could smell his scent again and it filled me with comfort.

_Rest as much as you need, Soma. You definitely deserve it._

---

_The air is so chilly…how I hated winter. It was hard to keep storage of my plants and to hunt for others in case I ran out. And my patients…most of them couldn't make the trip to my home and so I would have to venture into the city to care for them._

_I hugged my cloak tightly around myself, bending my head against the wind. If I wasn't careful I could become sick like those in town…I was suddenly overcome with nausea at this thought and I cupped a hand over my mouth. I stopped in my tracks and took several deep breaths, trying to hold it down as best as I could. After a few minutes, the nausea abated and I could continue onwards towards my home._

_Sick…oh, I hoped that wouldn't happen. I could take care of myself easily, but I didn't need this extra burden on top of everything else. Still…sickness was unavoidable, as I knew all too well._

_My mind began going back to before, but I stopped myself. Before…my dreams were not as frequent as they once were, but I could understand them very easily now. Elisabetha…and Mathias…I knew them. Or rather, I knew Mathias, as impossible as it was. _

"_**You're here…you have returned to me."**_

_I paused briefly and looked up at the sky. The sun had set and night had fallen, but snow clouds had formed and obscured the sky. Nearly a year now, since everything changed for me. Dreams of such magnitude must be a bad omen and I spoke to no one about them. No one except…him._

_Even as I still lived at my home, even as I still cared for my patients, he came to me more often than ever. After I called him 'Mathias', gone was the maliciousness from his temperament towards me. When I revealed my dreams to him, it only further increased his positive demeanor towards me. He looked at me with kind eyes, though they did little to battle the cold hatred he felt for God. But he treated me kindly. He held me and kissed me…as a lover…_

_Heat rose to my cheeks, even against the cold wind. Upon the first revelation of my dreams, he kissed me passionately. After I told him more, he kissed me more. And after I saw him a few more times, he took me to his bed…or rather, not __**his **__bed but __**a **__bed in his castle. I was ashamed that I had given my maidenhead outside of marriage and yet it felt anything but wrong to me. It felt wonderful and pleasant…and all too familiar to me._

_When I thought of him, I felt both happy and sad. Happy that I knew him but sad that I couldn't be with him all the time…and that he seemed so much like the same person outside of how he now treated me. _

_I knew why I felt this way, too. I loved him. Somehow, I had fallen in love with him even while he held me captive. But I loved him so much and I believed that he loved me, even in his own way. Still…I couldn't help but feel had I not told him about my dreams; nothing would've changed between us._

_I pushed past my gate and hastened my steps to my front door. My patients and others hadn't noticed it, but I had removed the crosses from my fence. My love and faith in God was very much the same but I felt…they weren't needed to prove my love for Him. Along with this, Vlad was repelled by all things religious. With the crosses gone he could come into my home, but I kept many religious items within my home, though I hid them away when he visited._

_I hung my cloak on the back of a chair and simply stood there for a moment. There was something else…something was ailing me as well, besides the cold temperature and my dreams. My disposition and health were rapidly changing over the past few months. And being a doctor, I could tell many telling signs._

"_Mathias…" I gripped the back of the chair with my hands. I could feel it in my heart that I truly knew this man, but the circumstances themselves… "Vlad."_

_Arms suddenly slid around me from behind, embracing me very gently. I felt the brush of breath at my ear. "What is it, Lisa?"_

_We could speak at great lengths most of the time, but today I found myself very reluctant. But I also knew if I __**didn't **__speak it would cause problems for me later. "Vlad…do you love me?"_

"_Aye, I do." I was taken off-guard by his response. I didn't expect him to readily admit it. "And you?"_

"_O-Of course I love you," I stammered slightly. "But…I cannot help but wonder if you love me because of me or if you love me because I'm…Elisabetha."_

_He stilled behind me and he withdrew slightly, though he didn't let me go. "I must admit that the resemblance and presence of Elisabetha in you is what initially drew me to you, Lisa. But I should take myself to be a much smarter man than to let my passions lead my judgment. What I'm doing with you…this acquaintance we have is not a very good idea, and yet I cannot stop seeing you."_

_I bit my lower lip slightly before I could continue. "Vlad…would you have spared me and grown to love me otherwise if it hadn't been for her?"_

_It was a very long moment before he answered. "I cannot say. I've never looked for companionship in all these years of living, and yet here you are. Mayhap if I'd never come into your life you might've wed off to somebody else. But I cannot let you go so easily, Lisa, and I won't do so."_

_My fingers relaxed on the back of the chair and slid away until my arms hung at my sides. Before I could speak, Vlad continued. "But why do you question me so, Lisa? Do not doubt my feelings as you are."_

_This was the moment…he truly wanted to know. I looked down at the floor and took a deep breath. "I'm with child."_

_He stiffened, and took in a short intake of breath. My heart began beating rapidly as I awaited his response. "You're certain?" he asked finally._

_I nodded my head stiffly. "I'm a doctor. I think I could tell when I'm pregnant."_

_Vlad released me suddenly. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. He had a very uncomfortable look on his face and he paced nervously. I couldn't help but smile slightly; this was a common trait with him after all._

_Then he spoke. "I didn't expect this. I did not think our union would produce a child. You are a mortal woman and I…" He waved an impatient hand. "I'm not a mortal man."_

_I slowly took a seat at the table. "Are you upset with me?"_

"_Why should I be, Lisa? __**I **__seduced you, after all." He was silent for a long time, as if figuring out what to do. My hands fell to my lap and cradled my stomach. I didn't have an obvious pregnant belly, but I would in no time. How might I explain this to my patients?_

_Vlad cut through my thoughts. "Our child will be dhampir, of your world and mine. He will need protection against those who might persecute him."_

"_Of course he will and I will protect him with everything I have." I looked down at myself and then looked back at him. "But there's something else that concerns me."_

"_What is it?"_

"_I am with child and I'm happy that I am. But I'm unwed. That will put a stigma on me in this town that will further add to our child's persecution."_

_Vlad shrugged slightly. "I will simply have to keep you at my castle then."_

"_But I can't do that!!!" I cried suddenly, jumping up from my chair. "I have my patients to tend to!!! But…" I shook my head. "I've known women to have been accused of witchcraft because of an out-of-wedlock pregnancy. I feel I have a great purpose here on Earth than to die by the hands of ignorant people."_

_Vlad took my words in calmly and silently. When he answered me, I didn't quite know how to react._

"_I shall have to marry you, then."_

---

Something hard pressed against my temple. I groaned irritably and tried to move away. But the pressure only followed me, until my head was pinned to both the surface of the tree and Soma's head.

I opened my eyes, slightly disorientated. The haven now looked like night had fallen (though who knew what time it really was?) and a white light shimmered over the lake like a moon. I looked upwards to my left. Fear shot through me as I stared up at the barrel tube of a gun, resembling a Magnum. I let out a wheezing gasp as my gaze drifted upwards, up an arm clad in black leather, to slightly-broad shoulders and a slightly-broad chest, to a mop of blue hair at the base of a narrow neck, to a face—

"Good morning, Milady."

I recognized this face. It was one of the men we profiled. "Sixx-Bit…"

He grinned down at me, though his eyes were obscured by motorcycle goggles. "So you know who I am? I shouldn't be surprised, with who surround you." He pressed the gun harder against my head. "Stand up, please. And not a lot of commotion, we don't want to disturb the Master."

I glanced at Soma, but Sixx Bit nudged at my head with the gun. "None of that, Milady. You wouldn't want me to decorate his pretty hair with your brain matter, do you?"

I looked back at him. "What's the point? You're going to kill me anyways."

"…True," Sixx Bit admitted. "But not just yet. Hell, maybe you'll get a chance to escape later if you behave." He pulled out a second gun and pointed it at me. "Now come along nicely. I'm not a person you want to get mad."

What could I do? Go with him with the near-impossible chance of escaping, or take the chance of waking Soma up and get a bullet in my head?

I didn't have to make the choice. Before I could move, a flash of white light rushed before my vision. I blinked slightly and saw the blade of a massive sword aimed upwards, the tip at Sixx Bit's throat.

"_I don't think so."_


	12. Part 12

I had some difficulty with this chapter and so it took me a little longer. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

Part 12

Sixx-Bit very slowly removed the gun from my head. "Hello, Master."

"_I'm NOT your Master. I would never allow filth like you to serve under me."_

I turned my head to Soma. "So—"

My voice died in my throat. Soma's hair fell messily into his face, but his eyes…his pale eyes were now blood red and they glared up at Sixx-Bit with intense hatred.

Sixx-Bit didn't seem offended by the reprimand, though. "I do a lot of stuff for you in your name, though."

Soma rose to his feet, his sword still pointed at Sixx-Bit's throat. _"What makes you think I'd allow a sniveling weakling feigning power the honor of being my underling?"_

"I'm no weakling, Count," said Sixx-Bit, though his tone was now harsh. "I'm merciless and cunning. No one can defeat me."

Soma pressed the tip of the sword closer to Sixx-Bit's throat. I saw a small trail of blood begin to run down his neck. _"Why have you threatened her?" _he didn't look at me but he was obviously talking about me.

Sixx-Bit didn't react to his puncture wound. "If she's not here, you can arise to power. Don't you want to arise to power again, Master?"

Soma snarled and swung the sword, intending to take his head off. But Sixx-Bit jumped backwards, aiming his guns at the both of us.

"Soma—" I began quietly, reaching for him.

"Well, I'm in a bad position," Sixx-Bit announced suddenly, his words ominous but his tone calm. "But…I still have a job to do."

He turned one of the guns at me and fired.

I found myself flying backwards through the air, landing hard on my back on a bed of grass. Before I could recover a loud explosion rocketed in my ears and I sat up instinctively. I'd only been thrown back about six feet, and I could clearly see what was going on. The tree Soma and I had been sleeping against had been blown in half and was on fire. Did Soma do that?

Sixx-Bit pointed the gun at Soma. "If you insist on interfering, Master, then I will have to forcibly weaken your resolve!!"

He fired the gun at Soma. Soma just swung his sword and destroyed the bullet. Only, the bullet didn't disintegrate upon impact. A loud explosion rocketed from where the bullet met the blade. Soma jumped back to avoid the blast, and then jumped away again as Sixx-Bit fired at him again. The bullet missed Soma but hit the ground, and a geyser of soil burst towards the sky with the force of the blast.

It wasn't Soma. Sixx-Bit's bullets had to be enchanted, or something.

The fight went on for several minutes. Sixx-Bit would shoot at Soma and Soma would either dodge the bullets or smacked them with his sword. The effects of the bullets started to vary after a while, going from explosions to balls of fire to sheets of ice or lightning sparks. But, not one of them hit Soma…or me for that matter. But if this was all Sixx-Bit could do to us, just shoot enchanted bullets at us, what were his cohorts like? Especially Xenon?

The tide then turned in Soma's favor. He swatted aside another bullet, which was a fireball, but lunged right through it at Sixx-Bit. This took Sixx-Bit off guard and he tried to jump back. But Soma was too quick for him. In a flash he was swinging his sword and he cut Sixx-Bit right hand clean off!!!

"AAAAAAHH!!!!!" I covered my ears at this scream. Even though he'd tried to kill me, waves of sympathy overtook me. I tried to turn away from the fighting, to not watch anymore. But I couldn't. Oh God…I could see the severed hand laying in a pool of blood on top of the grass. It was still gripping one of his guns.

A trickle of blood was running down Sixx-Bit's chin, his face becoming quite pale. He dropped his other gun to cradle his other arm to him as he fell to his knees. "You…You cut off my hand!!! My _hand_!!! What'll I do without my right hand?!?!"

I slowly rose to my feet. "Soma—"

Soma only laughed at Sixx-Bit and pointed the tip of his sword at his throat again. _"Forgive me, but I was aiming for your __**neck**__. I usually have good aim, though. How about I try it again?"_

"Soma—"

Soma swung the giant sword again. Sixx-Bit tried to roll away, but his injury debilitated him and Soma was just too quick. I couldn't help but scream right along with Sixx-Bit as the sword raked across his back, slicing off the back of his coat and even the epidermis of his back.

Soma just laughed again and repositioned himself. _"I don't think you can blame me for __**that**__. Try holding still this time. Though as they say, third time's a charm."_

"Soma, stop it!!" I cried, running over to him. I didn't bother scrubbing the tears off my cheeks.

Soma didn't look at me. He didn't even seem to hear me. _"You attacked us without just cause and threatened her life. The crime for these is death. Do you have any last words?"_

"M-Master!!" Sixx-Bit croaked, trying to crawl away from Soma, crawl in the direction of his hand.

Soma shrugged and snickered slightly. _"That sounds good enough."_

"Soma, STOP IT!!!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I grabbed one of his arms. "Please, stop it!!! You won the fight!!!! He's lying there helpless, don't do this!!!"

"_What makes him any different than the monsters I killed today?" _Soma asked me calmly. _"They all tried to kill me too, and they were all helpless too when I disabled them. This man tried to kill me, to kill YOU. He doesn't deserve to live!!"_

"He's HUMAN!!!" I wailed, trying to pull his arm down to his side. It didn't budge. "He's human, which means he has a soul and a chance for redemption!!! Those monsters are creatures of darkness, which live for death!!! They kill in discriminatorily!!! I don't like it, but if you didn't kill them then they would continue killing!!! This man isn't like that!!!"

My words were having no effect on Soma. He simply stared back at with his blood-red, unfeeling eyes. _"But isn't he? He has aligned himself with the cause to resurrect me. He's aligned with the people seeking your death. What do you think will happen if I let him go? He will go back to his leaders, give them an update on this fight, and return to action whether or not he manages to sew his hand back on. Don't be so naïve to the true nature of man. They are self-serving vile fools who only look out for their own interests."_

"But Soma…" His posturing hadn't moved, but his words scared me so deeply. I knew it couldn't have been Soma who was saying these things. "Soma…you live to help people. You don't kill people."

"_But I have killed people in the past. Graham, Dmitrii, and many, many cult leaders and followers. You have never cared about these lives that were lost, so why should you care about this one insignificant fool?"_

I stared at him numbly. He took the opportunity to shrug me off of him. _"I've wasted enough time. Look, he is trying to get away and get back to his group."_

Sixx-Bit was still crawling across the grass feebly, reaching out for his pushed past me and stalked over to him. _"And just where do you think you're going?"_

"SOMA!!!!!" I screamed again. Not sure what else to do I grabbed him from behind, clinging to him as tightly as I could. "Soma, just STOP IT!!!! This isn't you!!!! You don't do things like this!!!! You may have to kill in necessity, but you never, NEVER torture someone to death!!!! You never pick apart your foe's body!!!! You stand for what's good and right, and what you're doing is NONE OF THOSE THINGS!!!!! You despise this sort of behavior, so don't do it!!!! Please…" I pressed my face into the back of his neck. I was crying so uncontrollably that could barely get the words out anymore. "Please…this isn't you. This isn't…Soma, come back to me!!! Come back as your normal self and stop these people as your normal self!!! Please…please…"

I didn't notice that Soma had stopped walking for several long moments. I slowly raised my head to see the giant sword trembling above our heads. After several long moments, it lowered very slowly until it came to rest at his side.

"…Get out of here."

I gasped. That was _Soma's_ voice!! Before I could react further he collapsed against me. I caught him fast as we both fell to the ground. As we fell I felt a rush of air on the wind and looked up. Sixx-Bit was nowhere to be found. But he couldn't have left on his own, not in his condition. Somebody must've grabbed him and left.

Soma dropped the sword and raised both hands to his head. "What…what happened to me?"

"I think it was Dracula's influence," I said grimly, scooting around so I was seated beside him. "Sixx-Bit tried to kidnap me at gunpoint and you suddenly woke up under the Dark influence."

"I…" Soma glanced at me briefly. It was such a relief to see his light eyes staring back at me. "I remember…I sensed danger and I woke up and I saw you…" He quickly shook his head. "I could've dismantled Sixx-Bit easily but I became so _angry_. I couldn't control it and…" he swallowed and looked at the ground. "I failed you, Mina."

"No you didn't," I assured him, laying a hand on his arm. "You protected me."

"But you keep getting hurt. The only reason they're even after you is because you're my closest friend."

_I think there's more to it than that_, I thought grimly, but I didn't say that out loud. "It doesn't matter. I love you and want you to be safe and…" I 'eeped' and covered my mouth. What the…I just blurted it out!!! I couldn't help myself, it just came out!!!

Soma looked at me again and smiled. "Thank you, Mina."

"A-Anyways!!" I announced suddenly, trying desperately to redirect the conversation. "We better get out of here. Should we wait someplace else for Arikado-san and the others to show up?"

"We'll run into them eventually. If we turn into sitting ducks, then more of those guys will come after us." Soma struggled to his feet and I quickly helped him up. As he straightened he paused, his eyes looking down. I followed his gaze to see a piece of paper folded on the ground, unstained by the blood on the grass. I snatched it up and opened it.

_You're here. But you're still asleep. We shall wake you up._

_~C_

"…'C'?" I read aloud. The note was written in Japanese, but this was the English letter C. "Who's 'C'?" I don't think any of the profiled people had a name beginning with C.

Soma shrugged stiffly. "I don't know."

I looked back down at the note for a moment before tearing it to shreds. "We're bound to find out eventually. Let's not dwell on it until that time comes."

Soma nodded to this. "I agree. We should work on getting around this area. Chessa called it the Gala. I don't remember a Gala from the previous castle and so navigating in here might be tricky. Just stick close to me at all times, Mina."

I smiled a little. "I don't want to be anyplace else." I quickly covered my mouth again. _Stupid, STUPID!!! Why are you saying such embarrassing things, Mina?!?!_

---

The Gala was…beautiful. Oil paintings and intricately woven tapestries hung from the walls. I was expecting them to be sinister, but they were a lot like Renaissance paintings. Landscapes, random portraits, animals, and the like marked each surface. Of course, _some _of the paintings had sinister overtones, but they were subtle. The walls were glistening bronze marble in nearly every room, and the floor matched the walls. In most areas colorful carpet covered the floor, and it made a 'crunch' sound as we walked. Not like bones crushing, but more like the sound of a brand new carpet when you first walk onto it.

But…it was still a dangerous place. Tall candlestick stands jumped out at us, exploding with flames and trying to set us on fire. More mole men were around to jump at us and _on_ us, laughing all the way. Armored knights, walking chairs, and plants came to life to attack us. The sinister paintings came alive and reached out for us, but we didn't realize the danger right away.

That is, until one nearly pulled me into its portrait.

I didn't see it coming. It was a tamer corridor and so we slowed our pace to a walk. I didn't pay attention to the paintings in the room, only looking out for other dangers. We past a simple painting of a man shrouded in a black background, his face and body contorted in horrible agony. It was terrible to look at and I only glanced at it before.

Then…hands grabbed the back of my shoulders. I screamed and Soma quickly turned around. "Mina!!!"

I was quickly pulled backwards and my arms flailed in front of me. Soma grabbed my hands as my world began to change. It was so dark and cold…and I could hear an inhuman screaming. I twisted my head around, but I saw nothing and no one. I looked behind me to see the man from the painting. _He _was the one screaming in agony and he was screaming right in my face.

I felt a jerk forward, Soma's hand still tight on mine. He succeeded in pulling me free of the man and I was pulled out of that dark world and straight into Soma's arms. We both tumbled to the floor, more than happy for the lack of other dangers right within the room. "Are you all right?!"

"Yeah," I gasped, trying to get control of myself. Soma helped me to my feet and we looked at the painting. It was back to its normal state. "That was so horrible. Who could paint something like that?"

"I don't really want to know," said Soma. He tugged on my hand. "Let's hurry."

"Right…" It'd been horrible. A dark cold world of agony? Maybe that was what Hell was like. I could never wish that upon anyone. Well…maybe Boomer or Xenon.

The corridors only got more dangerous, but Soma kept charging forward. He didn't seem as tired as he was back in the Entrance Hall. Was it because we took a rest at that haven? I wasn't complaining, but I wished I could help him more outside of warning him of sneak attacks.

I kept expecting some big, horrible monster to jump out like that skull head. But none appeared that we saw. Soma kept pressing forward and I followed him. Just how big _was_ Castlevania? It might take us a while to get somewhere important.

We turned a corner and found a door. Soma tested the knob and it opened. He pulled me inside, slamming it shut in front of a couch that hopped over to us. This corridor looked oddly familiar, especially with the neat line of torches lining the walls of this long hallway.

Realization dawned on me and I groaned in dismay. "Oh no, Soma!! We've turned around!! This will take us right back to the Entrance Hall!!!"

Soma pulled out the map and looked at it. He quickly shook his head. "Don't panic, Mina. We're actually pointed more towards the Outer Wall."

"Are you sure? This looks like the same hallway—"

"It's our reprieve before entering a new area of the castle." Soma closed the map and tucked it back into his coat. "We should be all right here for a few minutes. Let's find a place to sit and take a break."

"I'll sit on the floor," I grumbled, though I followed Soma. "All those chairs attacking us…I swear they'll make me jump for the rest of my life."

Soma burst out laughing. "You've been attacked by zombies and giant skull heads and it's the _chairs _that are traumatizing you?!?!"

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Shut up, Soma!!"

He only laughed harder and I found I wasn't really all that upset by his mocking. It was actually a relief to see him laughing in spite of everything. Somehow, I knew I would have to stay optimistic for him. He was having a difficult enough time trying to be strong for me, so I couldn't afford to complain to him.

_Just keep your positive attitude, Mina. It should help keep him strong, too._

My hand trailed on the wall as we walked. My fingertips met a protruding surface and I turned my head. It was a painting frame, the only one in the hallway. My nerves jumped at the memory of the other painting, but this one seemed like normal oil on canvas. Two sweetly scented candles were framed around it, although they never waxed or melted in any way. I didn't look up yet, but I looked the rich colors along the bottom of the frame.

The bottom of the frame…my eyes caught a plague there, which looked like it needed some polish. I squinted and leaned closer.

"Mina?" Soma came up beside me. "What's wrong?"

"It…" I felt I could make something. "E…Elisabetha Cronqvist."

Shock flooded my body and my head shot up. I gasped as I saw her, that face I knew so well staring down at me. I'd seen it in my dreams and at the hotel…that had been the face I'd seen in the mirror where my face should've been.

"_You are uneasy."_

I blinked. The room suddenly became so might brighter, and the painting looked so much fresher. I looked down at my hand resting on the base of the painting. It was so pale, and…it didn't seem like my own. My sleeves were frilly and bunched out at the wrist. But I was wearing a winter coat.

My mouth was moving without me realizing it. _"You loved her, didn't you?"_

"_With every breath in my body." _I turned my head to my right. I was expecting to see Soma standing there, but it was him. Vlad…the one who'd called himself Dracula, but he had a face full of kindness…love, and he looked at me with such emotions. _"When I lost her, my being was lost."_

"_But I'm here, aren't I?" _I protested feelingly. _"I'm here and I love you, Vlad. And this child…"_ My other hand reached down and held my stomach. It was round and large…I, no, Lisa, was very far in her pregnancy. _"He is of you and me and he will love you too."_

Vlad walked towards me and cupped my face in his hands. _"I understand, Lisa. Do not worry over my words, or of Elisabetha, even as you carry her with you. I see YOU too, Lisa, as a doctor and a very strong woman full of love and light. I love you as you are for these reasons, not just because you are my dead wife." _He leaned forward and kissed me on the lips. _"And I love that you carry my child, even as he will be dhampir. There has been this empty void inside of me for so long…but now you are here. And very soon our son will be here." _He leaned back and looked into my eyes. _"You anchor me, Lisa, as Elisabetha did. This child of ours anchors me, too. Without you both…I have nothing."_

I blinked again, my hand falling away from the painting. The hallway was now dark again, the painting more faded. I looked down at my hands. These were MY hands, and these were my clothes. I was back, although I don't know where I went.

"What…" I raised a hand to my face; I was shaking. I was use to seeing flashbacks in my sleep, but I was certain I didn't fall asleep. Was I awake? But how could I relive those flashbacks if my conscious was awake?

And Lisa…she claimed to be reincarnated of Elisabetha. She experienced the same flashbacks I did. Did this mean I was Lisa, too? But Lisa was with Count Dracula…and the Count…

I realized I could no longer see Soma. I panicked and looked all around. "Soma?!"

I heard a low groan and turned back around towards the direction of the Outer Wall. Soma was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall, his head lowered. I ran over to him. "Soma, what happened?! Are you injured?!"

"…No," he said quietly. His face was so pale and it looked like he might be sick. He lifted his head to look at me, but it looked like it caused a great strain on him. But his face…his eyes were full of so much sorrow and pain. Tears burned my own eyes at the sight. "Mina?"

"What is it?" I whispered, fearful that talking any louder would cause the tears to spill out.

"Elisabetha…" he looked away and sighed sadly. "I told you I didn't know her. But…I didn't know. I didn't know anything."

"Now you do?" I asked. "You _do _know her?"

"Yes. Dracula, he…I…" he shook his head. "She's my wife."


	13. Part 13

Part 13

I stiffened, unconsciously drawing my arms away from Soma. "Your…wife?"

"I remember what you told me," Soma said. "That you dream of a woman named Elisabetha." He waved at the painting. "Is this the same woman?"

"Yes."

"Then it's her. I remember…" He faltered before he continued. "I saw her die."

I winced slightly, sliding over to sit next to Soma with my back against the wall. "I relived her death, _felt_ her die. It wasn't pleasant."

"She…She was so sick for such a long time it seems—"

"Months," I interjected. "She caught pestilence in late winter and it slowly but surely consumed her."

"Yes. I…" Soma had such a lost look on his face. I wanted to hug him, but at the same time I wanted to know what he knew of Elisabetha. "I saw it. I arrived home as fast I could because something in me told me something was wrong. And the house…the servants were beside themselves and reluctant to speak to me." He held up a hand suddenly, reaching out in front of him. "I ran upstairs and into the bedroom. She…she was alive when I entered. I saw her eyes on me and I saw her chest move with her breaths. But…" Slowly, he closed his fist around empty air. "But when I reached her side she was no longer breathing. She was no longer looking at me. She…if I'd moved just a little faster—or maybe had I reached home earlier—I would've been there for her. But she was there, just out of my reach…and I never got to say goodbye."

I closed my eyes to stop the tears from forming. It took me a while to speak without shaking. "So…you know Mathias now?"

"Vaguely." Soma dropped his hand into his lap. "It's all in patches. _She's _the clearest thing in all those memories." He waved a hand to the painting. "But I don't understand. Why am I reliving someone else's memories? I'm Dracula, not this man. I never had any memories of him before now. I just know what you've told me of Elisabetha." He snorted a little. "It's ironic, isn't it, that I suddenly have memories of a man who's your husband?"

"_Elisabetha's_ husband," I corrected him quietly. My heart was beating like crazy. Soma was recovering memories of Mathias. That meant these memories of Lisa…they aren't a jumble mess of confusion. It was no wonder that Mathias never helped Leon fight vampires when _he_ became one.

But none of this made any sense. If Elisabetha and Lisa are the same person and Dracula and Mathias are the same person, what did that have to do with Soma and me? And everyone else…they avoided this topic like it was plague. _Including_ my parents. Did **all** of them know what the hell was going on?

_They ALL have a lot to answer to, _I fumed to myself, clenching my fists in my lap.

"Mina?" asked Soma, looking at me intently. "Are you all right?"

I forced myself to relax and uncurl my hands. "I'm fine, Soma. As much as I can be." I could tell him about Lisa and see if he remembered her through Dracula. But _I _didn't understand anything, so it wouldn't do it just create more confusion with Soma.

Soma pushed himself to his feet suddenly. "We'd better go before those people Sixx-Bit belongs with find out where we are." He held out a hand and helped me up. "We'll get to the bottom of this, Mina. And we'll stop these guys."

"I know, Soma." _I can face these cult members, but can I face the root of all these dreams and occurrences?_

---

The Outer Wall. It was…_cold_. Very cold, as if we'd gone outside in the middle of a storm. No heat insulated this area as it did with most of the rest of the castle.

It wasn't nearly as deceptively inviting as the other areas, either. The walls were stone, purple stone, and some stone slipped out from their foundations to fly at us. Soma swatted them away easily enough, but it was very annoying. A brick to the head would kill me, no matter what kind of potions we found, and so through a few rooms I was ducking my head and running as fast as I could.

Flying bricks of course weren't our only threat. Deformed blue knights creatures threw axes at us, purple knights creatures tried to stab us with javelins, but there was one monster that took the cake. In one room there was an overabundance of the blue knight monsters and Soma sent me ahead to get me out of the way. As I ran to the open doorway, I heard the snapping of teeth. Out of the darkness a **HEAD** came flying at me!!!!!

I screamed and toppled backwards, throwing an empty can at it. It hit the monster in the eye, which roared in fury but crashed into the floor.

Soma picked me up off the floor. "What's wrong?"

"A-A HEAD flew at me!!!!" I shrieked, pointing down to it.

Soma looked at it and shrugged. "It's just a Medusa Head. They're easy to dodge, as you can tell."

How can you be nonchalant about a flying head?!?! But Soma has seen far worse than this and so it didn't faze.

At least…there didn't seem to be any mole men in this area. I could live with that somewhat.

We ran for a little while longer before we reached a massive room. Stairwells leading both up and down lined the walls, leading up and down into total darkness.

I looked over the ledge warily and looked up. I could hear all sorts of creatures in the darkness. "I'll leave this up to you Soma. Up or down?"

Soma said nothing, but put away his sword. He grabbed me and held me to him tightly. I could feel my face turn red. "S-Soma?!"

He bent his knees and suddenly we were flying through the air. Like a bullet released from its chamber Soma launched us very high, past the decaying stone stairwells and monsters growling at us. Some threw their axes and javelins at us, but they thankfully missed. The ceiling, though, was coming up _really _fast. Soma rotated his body, and thus me, in the middle of the air and slammed into the ceiling, his feet absorbing the impact.

For a brief moment we stayed there and I looked down the way we came. I couldn't even tell which ledge we'd come from. But gravity claimed us and we started following. Soma guided our fall onto a nearby ledge and set me down. "That should save us some time."

"Definitely," I agreed, brushing myself off. I gave him a look, though. "If you knew how to do that, how come you didn't do it when the gate closed on us?"

Soma shrugged. "I _had _that ability, but it became lost to me, unlike using the souls. It came though when Dracula's influence overtook me."

I didn't like the sound of that, even as the ability saved us time. "Don't do it, Soma."

"I don't intend to ever let him overtake me again, Mina. I don't care about the power I might obtain from it." He unsheathed his sword. "Let's go."

"R-Right." This ledge seemed much quieter than the others, but we were still on guard. As we neared a doorway, a skeleton knight suddenly jumped out of the darkness and swung a sword at us. Soma retaliated, slicing off his lower arm and readying himself. The skeleton knight took one look at its severed arm very nonchalantly and then looked at Soma.

And froze.

"**M-Master?"** it grunted reverently. It suddenly advanced on Soma, but holding its arms out as if offering a hug.

Soma swung the sword, slicing clean through its body and sending bones flying everywhere. "Wrong person." His tone was harsh and impatient. He was probably getting sick of the title everyone kept placing on him.

I touched his arm gently. "Hey. Let's get going, okay?"

Soma relaxed slightly and jerked out a nod. "Right."

We entered the doorway to see a long corridor. This place looked much different from the rest of the Outer Wall. The walls were sort of an oriental style, stark white with black framing. But it was still very cold in here and we kept our pace steady.

Still, I could feel a great deal of tension coming from Soma. "Relax a little, okay? You'll look like an old man before you turn thirty." I tried to be as teasing as possible.

Soma stopped suddenly and sighed. "I sure hope I _do_ become an old man, Mina."

"Of course you will," I said confidently. "And I'll become an old lady. We all grow old and pass on eventually."

"Yeah. I hope, you know because I'm Dracula, that I have that opportunity too." He glanced at me and smiled slightly. "I can't picture you as an old lady, Mina."

I burst out laughing. "Well thanks, I think."

"So HERE you are!!!!"

I stiffened at that familiar voice and the laughter died in my throat. I grabbed Soma's arm as we turned around. "You must be Boomer," said Soma gravely.

Boomer grinned at us in his usual insane way. His face was marred with hideous bruises, scorch marks and blisters, no doubt remnants of Arikado's attack on him. "Greetings, Master. But…" he jabbed a finger at me. "Why is SHE here?!?!"

"You almost killed her," Soma said suddenly, his tone turning dangerous. I looked at him worriedly, but his eyes were clear, not red. "You invaded her home and tried to kill her." He readied his sword. "I won't forgive you for that."

"I wasn't ASKING for forgiveness!!!" hollered Boomer. He got himself into a readying position, as though he were about to lunge at us. "I'd rather save my strength to pay back that _half-breed_, but you'll do just fine!!!"

Half-breed? But I didn't have time to process his words. It was hard to believe how fast he could move. In the blink of an eye he was flying at us. Soma shoved me away and swung his sword. The loud 'clank' parlaying blades rattled in my ears, and I was vaguely confused by Boomer's weapon. Didn't Arikado destroy it?

Soma suddenly fell to the ground next to me and the wall beside us exploded. Soma threw himself over me as pieces of stone, plaster, and debris flew at us. I dared a glance up and my throat went dry at the sight of the axe implanted in the wall. I thought the jagged thing he had before was menacing. _This _thing was almost TEN TIMES the size of the other, easily bigger than Soma's own sword. How in the hell did he keep it out of sight?!

It struck me speechless. "Uh—"

Soma grabbed me suddenly and pulled me to my feet. "_Run!!!!_"

It took a moment for Boomer to pull his axe loose, but Soma was already pulling me around a corner, each of us running as fast as we could. We didn't know where we could go to hide and recoup from Boomer, but it was definitely better than trying to face him at the moment.

"There!!!" Soma shouted, jerking his head towards a heavy-looking metal door ahead of us. I was a little more skeptical that we could open it, but to my surprise it sprung back up into the ceiling, allowing us passage and slamming back down after we passed, locking Boomer out. I expected him to start raging at the door, maybe even try to take it down. But silence permeated from the hall. I quickly began to feel uneasy about this room…area place. Even more so because I couldn't even see Soma in front of me. I knew he was there because I held onto him. But…I could see nothing. Not even my own hands.

"Soma?" I asked uncertainly.

"Shh," hissed Soma. "Don't make a noise. This area might be far more dangerous than Boomer."

"This is a _room_, not an area, Master."

Both Soma and I were startled by this new voice. It was a woman's voice, one I didn't recognize. But Soma's body tensed in front of me, giving me an indication that he knew this person.

Very abruptly, the room filled with light. We both had to squint our eyes and I rubbed them, temporarily forgetting our current danger.

"Is Castlevania to your satisfaction, Master?"

My vision cleared and I looked up. A woman stood on the other side of the room. She was dressed rather…loosely for such a dangerous place. She wore a black ladies suit, although the top four or five buttons were open so she could show off her cleavage. She was tall and full-figured, black knee-high heeled boots adding to her stature.

I knew her by her face. It was Nancy Grey; the only cult member profiled who had a full name, even if it was an alias. She was actually quite beautiful, if she didn't completely scare me.

"I'm _not_ your Master," Soma snapped. "I'm Soma Cruz, my own person who dispenses justice against evil."

"You have Count Dracula's soul," Nancy pointed out, her tone almost gentle. "And you have his abilities. It's sort of lofty of you to take advantage of his gifts but not live up to the legacy. Although I'm _quite_ curious as to how you made it this far. I don't doubt your abilities, but I know there's somebody within my ranks who's been feeding you information." Nancy tilted her head slightly. "Would you care to tell me who it is?"

Chessa. So she'd somehow stayed under the radar. But I could tell that it wouldn't stay that way much longer.

"I have NO intention of becoming Dracula," retorted Soma, dodging the latter part of her statement. "None whatsoever. So you might as well give up this chaos you've caused."

Nancy shrugged, as though his scornful words had no effect on her. "It would be quite different if you _unrestrained_."

"Enough!!!!" yelled Soma, raising his sword. "If you won't stop this nonsense, then I'll have to _force_ you to stop!!!!"

"You can't defeat easily as you are, Master. If you awakened, your power would return to you unconditionally and you would once again be the most powerful force the world has ever seen."

Something about Nancy was starting to creep me out severely. She spoke to us as if we were children, but when she spoke of Dracula's power there was almost a hypnotic allure to her voice. Like she was anticipating his revival as the epitome of her whole life. But…none of it showed on her face. She smiled and frowned ever so slightly, but her face didn't move otherwise and her expression never really changed during her speech. It was blank, unmoving, like a doll's. It almost seemed like she'd taken too much Botox and her face could no longer move. Her eyebrows didn't even rise, not even by reflex.

It was weird…and I didn't like it at all.

Nancy then shrugged, though it still didn't reflect on her face. "If you insist on fighting me, I'll have to get rid of _that_."

"That?" I echoed warily.

I didn't have time to react. I saw a bright purple orb-ball thing form in front of Nancy and shoot out at me. Soma yelled to me and swatted at it, causing the energy to explode, flying in all directions. I tried to duck for cover, but a horrible sting erupted from my back vibrated throughout my body. I screamed, but only faintly, even as I was overcome with darkness…

---

_Childbirth…I knew there was pain behind it, from what I gleaned of the babies I helped to deliver. But oh…this was most unbearable._

_Lips brushed over my brow and a strong hand clasped mine. "You are doing wonderfully, Lisa. Do not worry, for you shall be taken care of."_

_Vlad. I wanted to speak to him or at least say his name, but the ripples of pain all across my body were becoming more and more frequent and more and more violently painful. I could do little else but groan and grunt and occasionally cry from it all._

_A rough, gnarly hand pressed over my stomach. __**"Your son will be arriving shortly, Master."**_

_I squeezed my eyes, not wanting to see the strange being delivering my child. All around us I could hear chanting in some unknown language. Vlad had assured me those who know magic are casting a healing balm on the area, ensuring my health and the health of our child. Magic…so many were executed on __**suspicion**__ of witchcraft, but it was really real? And such individuals were casting a spell to help me?_

_But…if it ensures health and safety, it shouldn't be feared. I couldn't afford to be afraid. My child was depending on me. But the pain!!! The pain!!! I was uncertain whether or not I could bear to be with child again. This had been quite a difficult pregnancy as it was. I became fatigued too easily the bigger my son grew and there were times I was too weak to get out of bed. I was almost relieved that Vlad had taken me from my home to his castle, even if it completely disrupted my life and work. But how could I explain a pregnancy and baby to friends and patients when none of them were aware I was married?_

_No…I had to stop. This moment and this task was all that mattered. My son was about to be born and he needed me strong._

_It seemed like an eternity, but I finally heard those words. __**"I see his head, Master."**_

"_Just a little more, Lisa," Vlad urged me, his tone both gentle and urgent. "Our son is about to come into the world. He's almost here to us."_

_Almost…it took so long, but finally heard the wail of a baby. The chanting around us hushed immediately as the creature who delivered my baby took him into its arms. With Vlad's help I forced myself into a sitting position. Small…my child was smaller than regular babies, but he was wailing just as loudly and enthusiastically as a baby. Realization dawned on me on what had occurred and I choked on a sob. A baby…I was a mother!!_

"_**It's a boy!!"**__ the creature announced proudly, snapping the umbilical cord free. All around us there was massive cheering, all of the spell casters clapping and congratulating us. I felt a little self-conscious by their presence, but that dimmed in the glow of my child._

_Vlad took our baby from the creature's arms and brought him over to me. He was quite messy still, but that didn't matter to me. He was the most beautiful thing in the whole world._

"_I shall name him," Vlad said calmly, though his face shone with glowing pride. He held our son up for all to see. "He shall be called Adrian Farenheights Tepes, son of Count Dracula!!!"_

_The cheering only grew louder. Vlad lowered our son—Adrian—and settled him into my arms. "Thank you, Lisa."_

"_For what?" I asked, my tone very quiet from the strain I'd endured. I didn't look up from Adrian's face._

_Vlad kissed me on my forehead again. "Because of you, I now have a child. Because of you…I am alive."_

---

"You're only delaying the inevitable."

My eyes shot open and my hand flew to my stomach. It was flat. "Soma? Where's the baby?"

"I told you once and I'll tell you again!!! I won't become Dracula!!!!"

I relaxed, but only slightly. I'd had another dream again…but the baby had felt so real in my arms, and even at that moment I could feel affection for him.

Wait…what was going on?

A purple orb flew at me again and I watched it disintegrate right before my eyes.

"You can't cast Final Guard on her forever." Nancy had irritation in her voice. But if she was exhausted from the battle, it still didn't show in her unmoving face. Soma however looked quite tired. "And even if I don't kill her today, she could die tomorrow or the day after. A bus could hit her or she could catch a deadly disease or be caught in the middle of a monsoon storm or some random serial killer could select her as his next victim. _Anything_ is possible, Master."

"I highly doubt any of those things will happen to Mina," snapped Soma, wiping sweat from his brow. "And if she _did _die in an accident or of illness, I'll have known that it was the workings of fate. I can accept that."

Nancy snorted as though Soma had said something funny. "You couldn't live without her even if you _tried_."

Before Soma could respond, a new voice joined the fray. "Having all this without me, Soma?"

I perked up at this. "Hammer-san!!!"

It _was_ Hammer, and he stood in front of a huge hole in the wall, pointing a gun at Nancy. More holes like this in all different sizes littered the walls. One of her energy orbs (or maybe Soma's power) must've caused all of this carnage.

"Good to see you," said Soma, relief in his voice. "Are the others with you?"

"Not…quite," Hammer said slowly, stepping into the room. "We got separated in the Gala."

Nancy looked at him. "So, another annoying pest snuck in."

Hammer grinned at her, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You nearly killed me and a bunch of innocent people on an airplane." He cocked the hammer of the gun. "Even if you are a pretty lady, that's not something I can forget."

Nancy sighed, as though everything going on was a waste of time to her. "This is turning into more of a problem than I want. You humans sure know how to create problems and complications, don't you?" Her toe nudged a tile on the floor, flipping it over. She looked at Soma and smiled. "Perhaps you need more of a persuasion, Master?" Her toe nudged the floor again, but I heard a loud snap. Soma quickly grabbed me, but it wasn't enough. I felt the floor shift abruptly beneath us.

"HEY!!!!" yelled Hammer alarmingly.

It was too late. The floor opened beneath Soma and me and we plunged into the darkness.


	14. Part 14

I'm sorry once again for the delays in updates. I have a lot going on that I haven't had time to write. I promise that I will definitely have this fanfic done by the end of the year.

Note: I noticed when rereading this chapter that there was a continuity error in one of the sections. I fixed that, but if you didn't notice any errors then the chapter looks the same.

Part 14

I was prepared for a long fall down the deep pit. But Soma wouldn't allow this. We fell for several seconds before an orb of light engulfed us. We came to an abrupt stop in midair, but very quickly began descending again. However, now we were floating very gently down the pit.

"I can't take us back up," said Soma grimly. "My magic's nearly gone. We have no choice but to go down."

"Will Hammer-san be all right?" I asked, looking up at the mouth of the hole. I expected either him or Nancy to stare down at us, but it didn't happen. Instead I saw a flash of light and heard a loud explosion.

"He'll be all right," said Soma, though his tone was slightly uncertain. "And _we'll _be all right too, Mina."

"I don't doubt you, Soma." I looked back down the hole we were falling into. The Darkness greeted us, along with a strange smell. Wet air, and…something dirty.

The narrow hole opened suddenly to a vast cavern, dimly lit by waning torches. I felt almost claustrophobic in this place and held onto Soma a little tighter. Three feet from the ground the orb surrounding us suddenly faded and we hit the ground hard. But we were all right, certainly better than we would've been had we fallen at the same rate we initially fell.

"My magic's used up," said Soma, brushing himself off and helping me up. "It should be replenished in no time, but for the time being I'll have to rely on physical fighting."

I nodded, leaning on him for comfort. I couldn't help it; this area was too dark and unnatural. I had no idea how far we were underground, but I couldn't smell fresh air and I couldn't see any sunlight. Not that I could anyways _above_ ground, but somehow knowing we were up there gave me some solace. Down here…I felt trapped, like I was buried alive.

"So we should we do?" I asked. "Should we wait around here until your magic replenishes and jump back up that hole? Or should we explore in here?" _Please jump back up, please jump back up!_

"I'd feel more comfortable jumping—" Soma began.

The earth began to rumble, shaking the whole are violently. "A-Another e-earthquake?!?!" I shrieked. I covered my head with my hands. "Oh God Soma, it's going to cave in!!!"

Soma grabbed me and pulled me close to him. "No, it won't Mina!!!! We'll be all right!!!!"

Before I could muster a reply, the shaking stopped. I stood there frozen, holding my breath and waiting for the walls to cave in. When they remained firmly in place, I sighed heavily with relief. "We're safe…"

"Almost," said Soma. He was looking up. "Look, Mina."

I looked up, dreading what I wished wouldn't be so. The hole was gone, sealed up by the ceiling as though it'd never been there. My shoulders drooped in disappointment. "So we have to walk around here now?"

"Yes." Soma pulled out the map Chessa gave him and squinted at it. "Damn. She only mapped out the first floor. But this is beneath the highest floor of the Outer Wall…" he traced his finger down the map, his brow furrowed. "What was beneath the Outer Wall?"

Something growled in the darkness and I jumped slightly. "L-Let's go, Soma. The monsters have noticed us."

"Yeah." He took hold of my hand and looked up and down the passageway. The darkness stretched out on both sides of us. He squinted at the map again before recognition lit up in his face. "Left." We turned in that direction.

"Do you know what this place is?" I asked.

"I believe so. But if I'm right, then we're down further than I thought."

I stepped on something sticking out of the ground and fell into Soma. I twisted my head around and looked down to see a blackish-white cylinder sticking out. It sort of looked like…

"_Bone!!!_" I cried, clinging to Soma. It was then I noticed a human skull embedded in the walls and I hid my face into the back of his shoulder. "Oh God, they're _everywhere_!!!"

"Then I _am _right," said Soma, his voice calm as though these body parts didn't affect him.

"Where is this?!" I demanded.

"The Catacombs."

---

Catacombs. An underground cemetery consisting of passages or tunnels with rooms and recesses used as burial chambers leading off them, as per dictionary definition. It was sort of ironic that Castlevania, which had settled in Tokyo, had the Catacombs when overpopulation in the city forced us to bury the dead _above_ ground.

Still, this place unnerved me. The air was still musty and wet, and I tried to ignore thoughts that said this was the smell of death. I sure didn't know what death itself smelled like, but the castle overall didn't give off a rancid odor. That was a bit of a relief.

Corridors were so dark and smoky. The walls were reminiscent of a dark green cave, with wet and rotted wood boards to support the walls and ceiling. The ground was wet too, and water leaked from the ceiling and walls. If I wasn't stepping in shallow puddles I was sliding all over bones. They were scattered _everywhere_. In some rooms I couldn't even see the floor because of all the bones.

But, I didn't complain. Not anymore I didn't. Soma seemed as comfortable with this area as I was and I didn't want to distress him anymore. At least his magic was replenishing quickly, but he still kept combat physical, swinging a sword or throwing items at the monsters. The most it seemed we had to worry about were goblins swinging torches and a pair of skeletons carrying a gigantic demonic skeleton head on a stick. It brought back unpleasant flashbacks of the large skull we faced earlier, but Soma took care of them easily. Once he destroyed the demonic skull the two skeletons high-tailed it and ran, flailing bony arms into the air.

I looked at the ground uneasily, at all the bones. _Were skeleton monsters going to spring up from this?_

"Mina," said Soma suddenly.

I snapped my head up. "What?"

"You stopped walking." He grabbed my hand. "Don't worry, Mina. I'll get us out of here."

"I know you will, Soma." I managed a small smile. "We'll all get out of this."

Neither of us was sure of these words, but it felt good to hear. We continued onward, and I tried to ignore the bones on the ground and the fact we were underground.

I don't know how long or far we walked. After a while though I could no longer ignore the bones on the ground. The further we were the thicker the piles became. Soon we were trudging through bone as though we were breaking through water. Soma held onto my hand tighter, pulling me along as best as he could. No more monsters charged at us, but it only filled me with fear.

We walked through an archway in the wall, opening up to an impossibly large room. Torches burned brightly in here, illuminating thousands upon thousands of bones, all different shapes and sizes. Bile rose in my throat and I felt nauseas. "Soma…?"

"Stay behind me, Mina." Was all he said. There was a loud groaning sound behind us and I turned my head. The archway was now closed off by a black and heavy-looking door.

"Death."

We both jumped at this unfamiliar voice and Soma pulled out his sword, shoving me further behind him. "Who's there?!" Soma shouted.

"One hundred and fifty-thousand people die every single day," the voice continued from the shadows. "Mayflies are born and die all within a day, and yet there is a frozen bacterium in existence that has lived for 250 million years. And where do humans fit into this equation, hmm?"

Footsteps approached us. Soma pointed his sword in that direction. "I _will_ attack if you don't step back!!!!"

Someone came into the light. This person was covered up, wearing a stark-white coat with a hood pulled closely around the face. Over the face was a hideous skull-mask. Yet I could tell this person was a man. "You honor me with your presence, Master. To be born of human flesh and arise from the ashes of grief and wastefulness into purity and immortality. _That _is the human dream, to live forever. Because humans are vanity personified; they cannot stand to sight of wrinkles or blemishes or any meager mark that would make them imperfect to the eyes of others." He chuckled slightly. "It's actually quite funny, isn't it?"

"But _you're_ human," Soma pointed out harshly. "You might be able to do some magic, but you're mortal."

"I know," said the man. "But is it so wrong to be so disgusted with my own species? Look as you are now, Master. You despise the vampires and all of which you have created."

"I am _human_ and my name is Soma Cruz. That will never change no matter how hard any of you try."

The man laughed again. "Well, Nancy and Sixx-Bit didn't get very far with speaking with you. Maybe you need a _greater_ incentive?"

He suddenly spread his arms wide and began chanting. It was a language I didn't recognize. After a few seconds of chanting his voice suddenly became guttural and his hands started to glow with a bright yellow hue.

And…all around us the bones began shaking.

"Wait, is he…?" I floundered on the name. "Onor? The _necromancer_?!"

Soma took a quick looked around us. "Uh oh."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Hakuba Mina," said Onor, pausing in his chant even as his hands continued to glow. "Although, everything will just turn out the same in the end for you."

There were sudden bursts from the pile of bones, as though a geyser had erupted. A horrible rattling sound filled my ears and I couldn't help but cover them and duck my head as the bones flew through the air.

I grabbed Soma's sleeve. "Soma—"

A loud shriek cut me off. From where the eruptions happened, whole skeletons stood straight up. There had to be at least ten or twelve of them. They snapped their jaws at us and raised their arms in front of them as though they were zombies.

"Is this suppose to scare me?!?!" snapped Soma, readying his sword. "I've destroyed _tons_ of these things!!!!"

"I bet you have," said Onor. Suddenly the glow around his hands turned from yellow to dark red. "But…these ones aren't _anything _like you've seen!!!!!"

Light burst from his hands and shot out, engulfing each of the skeletons and filling the entire room with a horrible blinding light. I hid my face in the back of Soma's jacket and Soma shielded his eyes with his free arm. It was several long moments before the light finally dimmed and faded, leaving the room illuminated only by the torches.

Soma suddenly slammed into me, knocking me backwards off my feet. "LOOK OUT!!!!!!!"

As we hit the ground together, the spot we were standing on suddenly exploded with bright, sizzling light, sending pieces of bone flying everywhere.

"_It's been a long time, Mathias."_

Both Soma and I stiffened at these words, and a chill passed over me at this very familiar voice. _Oh no…please, no!!!!!_

I looked up at our attacker and cried out in shock. "_Leon!!!!_"

"LEON?!?!" Soma shouted at the exact same time as me. I snapped my head around to look at him.

"_So…you __**still **__use Elisabetha as your buffer."_ It _was_ Leon Belmont, although this Leon looked nothing like what I was use to seeing. His skin was a pasty gray and sunken in, and his long red and white coat hung in tatters on his unusually thin shoulders. _"You kill the woman _**I**_ love most and yet you are here?! With your PRECIOUS BRIDE at your side?!?!"_

"Sara…" the words leaked out of me and tears stung my eyes. I knew she had died terribly—Julius had told me of such—but to hear the grief in Leon's voice over her death was heartbreaking.

Soma, too, seemed uneasy by Leon. "L-Look. I-I didn't—"

"_Don't hog him to yourself, Leon!!!!" _

A flash of light struck Soma's shoulder and he screamed in pain, hunching forward.

"SOMA!!!!!" I crawled over to his side, holding him to me. "Soma…Soma, hang in there!!!!" blood had seeped through his clothes and onto his white coat, billowing across his shoulder very quickly. This time I couldn't stop my tears as I turned my head to the man who attacked. "Why did you do that?!?! He didn't do anything to you!!!!"

"_What do YOU know, girl?!?!" _the snarl came from an unfamiliar man. He looked just as gray and his clothes just as dirty and tattered, long blonde hair hanging all around his face. _"Do you have ANY idea what this monster has done to my life?! Terrorizing my family and my people over a fifteen year span?! Turning my own son __Soleiyu against me and using him to resurrect himself?!?! How can you call all of THAT nothing?!?!"_

"Christopher Belmont…" Soma grunted, hissing with pain. I pulled off one of my sweaters and tied it around his shoulder.

"Soma…" I held him close to me and gave Christopher a look. It was then I could see more of them. More people straggling in the shadows, heading right towards us. "Soma—"

"_Dracula!!!!!" _there was another dreaded flash of light, hitting the wall next to Soma's head. I cried out and shoved his upper body down over my lap. _"For the hell you've made my life, I shall have vengeance!!!!"_

"S-S-Simon…" Soma began to wheeze slightly with pain and I went through his pockets desperately, trying to find a potion I could give him. I briefly glanced up to see a man with blood red hair running towards us before I quickly ducked my head and body over Soma.

"_Get out of my way, girl!!!!" _Simon Belmont yelled at me. _"You don't know what kind of monster this THING is!!!! He __**cursed**__ me to die a slow, agonizing death and I went through HELL to reassemble him to break my curse!!!! And I DID!!!!!"_

Another burst of light hit the ground in front of us. I looked up to see a man with long silver hair and I ducked my head again. _"Dracula!!! You will pay for what you did to the people I love!!!!"_

Soma sputtered against my leg, and I heard something that sounded like 'joust' or 'joost' come from him. My hands found a small vial in his pocket and opened it. "Drink this, Soma." I shoved it into his mouth.

"_MATHIAS!!!!"_ more flashes of light exploded all around us as more people converge around us, each of them yelling. All of them were screaming a grave sin Dracula had committed against them and cursed _me_ for shielding him.

"_You killed my father!!!"_ another man yelled. He seemed to have a heavier build than the others, but his looked just as decrepit. _"You killed him and subjected myself and even my own son to the worst terrors of the world!!!"_

"_I could've lived with it," _another roared, swinging a massive spear. _"I could've been able to handle the fact that I had to DIE so you could live. But Gwendolyn…and my daughters!!!! They just had to be your PAWNS too, didn't they?!?!"_

"_My family…"_ this man was wrapped in bandages, all of which were a filthy brown color. _"You killed my entire family. And then you __**cursed **__me to become a monster, killing innocent people and locked inside a Clock Tower!!!! Was it worth it, huh?!?! To take away my life and to later fall at my hand?!?!"_

I couldn't deny the charges they leveled against us—I truly believed Dracula did all of these things—but it wasn't _Soma_ who did them. Not my Soma.

"Mina." Soma sat up slightly, his breathing a little more even. His shoulder was still covered with blood, but it looked like the bleeding stopped. "I can handle this. I don't know why they're here, but—"

He shoved me away as another burst of light tried to strike us. _"Stand up NOW, Dracula!!! You're mine!!!!"_

The air brushed by my head. I looked up in time to see a long coil fly away from us and retract back towards Leon. It was a whip, maybe the Vampire Killer. I looked at all the other people screaming and attacking us. Most of them carried the Vampire Killer as well.

"Soma?" I said quietly, looking at all of them.

Soma looked at all of them carefully. His expression suddenly relaxed and then hardened. "Onor, what are you playing at?!?! I know these aren't the true heroes!!!!"

"Do you now?" Onor asked from the darkness. "Just a couple of minutes ago you were arguing with them as though they were real."

"They're _not _real!!!! You properly just revived a few corpses and put on the illusion that they were—"

Simon swung his whip at Soma's head again. _"How DARE you think you have the right to a peaceful life after the HELL you brought upon the world?!?! Were any of OUR lives easy because of you?!?! How many people did you kill, Dracula?! How many people have died because of your selfishness?!"_

"_And Elisabetha…"_ Leon hissed at me. _"How fares you about all of this? Mathias turned away from the light and created chaos upon the entire world because __**you**__ died!!! Damning the world and God all for you…it must make you __**proud **__to be such an inspiration, doesn't it?!?!"_

"Just STOP IT!!!!!" I yelled, covering my ears. "You're not real and you're NOT Leon!!!!!"

There was another sudden 'whoosh' in the air. I flinched again, but this time the flash of light didn't strike near us. It struck Leon directly and he exploded. Thankfully his blood and flesh didn't fly all over the place; instead it was the skeletal bones.

"Fools…" Someone fell from the ceiling and landed on the floor gracefully. "Wolves in sheep's clothing…as the _true wielder_ of the Vampire Killer, I will personally disperse of all of you!!!!"

"Julius-san?!?!" I cried, recognizing the voice and the face that came into the light. I shook Soma slightly. "Soma, Julius-san is here!!!!"

"Soma!!!!" yelled Julius, swinging his whip at Christopher. "Don't fall down in the face of illusions!!! Take care of your matters!!!!"

Onor watched all of this in a long moment of silence. If he was upset at his corpses being destroyed, it was hard to tell. "Well, I made some progress. I was hoping to do this without a lot of mess, but…"

Soma stood up, his movements slightly sluggish as he raised his sword. "Onor!!! I will make you pay!!!!!"

"Why are you denying the inevitable?" Onor asked suddenly, his tone impatient behind his mask. "Why do you persist in keeping up the façade of a normal life? And destroying evil…_you_ created this evil, Master!!!! Look at what your massive power can do!!!! And me…" he raised a hand to himself. "_I _was nothing more than a weak and naïve medium before I stumbled upon your secrets, your power!!!! Now look at me!!!! I'm a masterful necromancer!!!! I have created an army of the undead, _all for you_!!!! And what are you doing?!?! You're _killing _them all!!!! _I _may cast the magic, but it was originally YOUR magic!!!!!"

"…Fine," Soma rasped. "It's my magic. And _because_ it's my magic, I will do everything in my power to destroy it!!!!!"

Soma lunged at Onor, swinging his sword. Onor formed dark red light orbs in his hands and threw them at Soma. Soma swung his sword at the orbs, hitting most of them before they could hit him. One unfortunately struck him on his left side and he screamed in pain. He hunched over slightly, his whole side a horrible charcoal color.

"You leave me no choice," said Onor. "I wanted to avoid doing this, but you just won't make this easier on yourself." He formed another dark red orb in his hand, though this one was much bigger. "I'll just have to _kill her_!!!!"

He threw it at me. I screamed and dove for cover and I heard Julius curse violently, shoving the bandaged corpse into the path of the orb. It connected and the corpse exploded, raining bones down upon me, even as Onor formed another ball of light.

Soma yelled and lunged forward again despite his injury, taking Onor completely off-guard. He swung his sword straight upward and Onor's body jerked back. A horrible red line opened straight up the length of Onor's body and he screamed in pain as blood spurted and shot out of his body and up into the air. He flew backwards and landed in a heap upon a pile of bones.

The remaining corpses around us suddenly exploded with light and fell apart, joining the other bones on the floor. Julius snorted with disgust and wound up his whip. "All bark and no bite. When he studied the dark arts, he should've developed more skills outside of necromancy. He would've become a formable creature of darkness."

Soma let out a noise, and it sounded so sad. He fell hard to his knees, dropping the sword at his side. I stumbled over to him. "Soma!!!! Are you all right?!?!"

Soma's breathing was heavy and uneven. I thought we'd healed his shoulder injury, but it seemed he was still feeling some effects. "…Are you okay?" he asked me quietly.

"Yes, of course," I said, glancing at Onor's body warily. "Thank you, Soma."

Soma groaned quietly, leaning against me.

Julius walked over and gave us a sideways glance. "Looks like the two of you are having a hell of a time."

"I-Is everyone else all right?" I asked.

Julius nodded curtly, though his expression softened. "We'll meet up with them later. For right now…" He looked at Onor. Maybe out of curiosity he leaned down and grabbed Onor's mask, lifting it from his face. I vaguely remembered from the profile sheets that Onor wore his skull mask, even with his identity photo. It was kind of creepy to me, and I hadn't known at the time whether or not he was a girl. Julius got a look at Onor's face…and reeled back slightly, horror and disbelief evident in his usually calm face. "Damn…damn it all!!!!"

I didn't want to know why Julius was so upset, but I couldn't help but lean over and look anyways. A horrible sick feeling formed in my stomach. Onor's face was frozen forever twisted in pain, but it was a youthful face. A _very _youthful face, far too youthful for his line of work. He couldn't have been older than sixteen.

_A child…_I closed my eyes and turned my head away._ A CHILD turned to evil and tried to kill us!!!! And instead, he died by Soma's hand!!!_

Soma must have seen Onor's face, too. When I opened my eyes Soma's face had turned green. I thought he might be sick, but instead his eyes rolled into the back of his head and collapsed against me. I caught him, but even as I did I felt my own head reeling. I thought I could put up with this place for Soma's sake, and it was my own fault I was here. But all of this…this _evil_ was becoming too much for me. And Onor…how did a teenage boy fall into such a horrible crowd?

"H-Hey!!!!" yelled Julius suddenly, rushing over to us. But he couldn't stop the darkness from overtaking me.

---

_He was crying again. I took him into my arms, holding him close to me and singing to him. But Adrian wouldn't stop crying._

"_Are you hungry?" I asked him gently, though I felt so uneasy at this thought. "Hold on, darling, I shall feed you."_

_I looked about myself to make sure we were alone. Vlad gave us such lavish living quarters and his minions never dared to approach us, but I could feel eyes upon me at all times. I could live with such conditions, but it still made me uneasy at times. Wrapping a blanket around the both of us I carefully unbuttoned the front of my dress, cradling Adrian close to me so that I might breastfeed him. Vlad didn't favor the idea of fetching a wet nurse for me; although he made it clear he would do so if I needed one. But I felt comfortable enough feeding our son myself._

_Only…Adrian would not accept what I offered him. I tried to direct him to my breast so that he might feed, but he turned his head away, wailing louder and louder even as his belly began to rumble with hunger._

_A cold feeling overtook me. He was hungry, yes, but not for food. Most of the time he took the milk I offered him, but there were occurrences…he wanted blood. He __**needed**__ blood. It didn't happen often, but once he got these cravings nothing else would sustain him. This was surely one of these times._

_I sat there still for a moment, trying not to panic or be gravened. This was the fate I chose for my child. I was a human, but the husband I chose was not. Vlad needed blood at all times, unlike Adrian, and I had the chance one time to walk away from him. I didn't, and now I had a child who could have normal food but also needed blood. I refused to regret the decision to be with Vlad. I loved him and he loved me, and every day I was with him I could feel that horrible darkness shrink away slightly. It was very slightly, but it was happening. And he was changing, too; I knew he was accepting little human victims lately, because he knew it distressed me that he kill one of my kind to feed. After we married he would only kill the vilest and most depraved humans, even as their blood gave him lesser strength than a pure soul did. Now…now I knew he would travel to dense forests to feasts upon the animals there, instead of killing some criminal who probably deserved God's divine punishment anyways._

_But Adrian…I only regretted my son shared in that curse._

_I reset my top and shifted Adrian so that he lay in my lap. I reached for the nearby table, finding my sewing needle. My fingers had calloused over the years but I hoped I could still do something. I jabbed my index finger as hard as I could, and it took two tries to draw blood. It stung horribly but I ignored it for the time being and I directed my bleeding finger towards Adrian's eager mouth._

_A hand caught my wrist and pulled my hand away. "No, Lisa."_

_I looked up to see Vlad standing over us. His expression was gentle but his eyes relayed his disapproval of my actions. "I have told you I don't want you to feed him this way. I don't want our son dependent upon your blood, Lisa." His tone was harsh, reprimanding, but he lifted my finger to his mouth, gently licking the blood away, not to feed but as healing gesture._

"_F-Forgive me," I stammered, looking down at Adrian. "I should've waited for you. B-But he won't take my milk, and—"_

"_Never worry." He set my hand down and took Adrian from my lap. "I shall feed him."_

"_But won't he become dependent upon your blood, Vlad?" I asked fearfully._

"_He is dhampir, Lisa, and my son. He can walk into the light and into the darkness. But, if there is a time he can take no other blood than my own, I will gladly give it to him."_

"_Is it possible to keep him from drinking blood?" I asked. "Maybe replace it with something similar so he won't notice the difference?"_

"_Mayhap he will grow out of drinking blood. He could grow out of eating human food. It could go either way, Lisa." Vlad bit into his finger and offered it to our son. He looked at me carefully. "No matter what he is destined to do, he will always be our son. We must and cherish him."_

"_Absolutely," I said, standing up and walking over to them. My finger was no longer sore and it was no longer bleeding. "Adrian is my son, _our _son. There is nothing I love more in this world than the both of you."_

_Vlad looked at me again. A small smile formed on his lips. "And I feel the same."_

---

"Mina?"

I was slow to opening my eyes. Julius was leaning over me, his expression plain but his eyes full of worry. "Are you all right now?"

"I…don't know." I slowly sat up, feeling a little dizzy. Then I saw Soma still sprawled on the ground next to me and the dizziness cleared. "Soma—"

"I gave him a few more potions and healing spells," Julius assured me. "He needs a couple more minutes of rest."

"All right…" I relaxed a little, but not by much. "He's exhausting himself with all this work…"

"Deep down he feels responsible for the havoc Dracula caused over the past millennia," said Julius. "And so he's been working tirelessly with Arikado to keep the world safe." He shook his head slightly. "Not to offend you, but it was a mistake that you came here, Mina. Castlevania's inhabitants have never been accommodating of people but this time around it's as though they've been whipped into a frenzy."

"It's because Dracula's wife has returned," I said gloomily.

Julius blinked. "What?"

I gave him a look. "I already know everything, Julius-san, despite everyone's best efforts."

Julius rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I wasn't intentionally hiding from you, Mina—"

"Then what _were_ your intentions?" we both jumped as Soma suddenly woke up, quickly sitting up and glaring at Julius. "What's going on? Who's Mathias Cronqvist?!"

Julius stared at him for a long moment. "So, you know about him too?!"

"Yes, I do!!!! _Nobody _told me a damn thing about _any_ Mathias!!! Who is he and why do I have his memories?!?! Is he Dracula, too?!?!"

Julius was silent for another long moment. "Yes. Mathias was who Dracula was when he lived as a human."

"Who was Lisa?!" I cut in. "And what's the relationship between her and Elisabetha?!?!"

"Lisa?" Soma asked me.

Julius didn't look too pleased _he_ was the one being saddled with these questions. "It—"

He was cut off by a loud growl reverberating from down the hall we came from. "That doesn't sound like Legion, but we should get moving just in case?"

"Legion?" I asked warily. I vaguely remembered a description Soma gave of it. It was like a stringy nucleus that fired lasers, but was shielded by a mass of humanoid bodies. It never sounded pleasant and _I_ certainly didn't want to see it.

Soma seemed to feel the same way and quickly stood up. "Let's go." He helped me up and we headed towards the door on the opposite side of the room.

We passed Onor's dead body and I couldn't help but stop and look at him. It really was such a shame. If somebody had guided him more properly, he could've made a powerful ally.

"Mina." Soma leaned his head close to mine and I jumped slightly. "I'm sorry I killed him. I-I didn't realize he was a kid, and…I know you don't like me killing humans—"

"He tried to kill me," I interrupted, my tone quiet. "They all want to kill me, but he had the clear upper hand. If you hadn't done it, then…" _I would've died._ It was a grim trade-off and it disheartened me that somebody died because of me, but I tried to feel very little grief. Teenager or not, Onor made his choice. He chose to go to evil and he chose to try and kill me. There was nothing I could do about it.

---

I was pleased to see the caverns begin to lighten slightly. Julius traveled alongside us, aiding Soma with fighting off the monsters. He had answers, _many_ answers to my questions that he wasn't giving us, but I couldn't deny the help he gave us. I don't want to think of what would happen if he hadn't shown up when he did.

Soma and Julius found a variety of items along the way, many of them little trinkets that acted as talismans. In one room Soma plucked a silver ring with a black stone in its center from a box. He looked it over and spoke with Julius briefly. Then he handed it to me. "Wear this, Mina."

I took the ring and slid it onto my middle finger. "What does this do?"

"Resists dark. It'll protect you from dark spells and hopefully most of the monsters around here."

I smiled slightly. "Thank you, Soma. I know this'll do better for you, but you still gave it to me."

Soma smiled back. "It's no problem."

I could feel the ground begin to rise the further we walked, and the area became lighter and lighter. I was very elated to see a well-kept door in the midst of such a dark and desolate area. "There it is! We're out of here!"

"It might not take us back upstairs," Julius warned me. "The Catacombs is generally the most deeply submerged area of Castlevania. Anything could be awaiting us."

"But it'll be further up, right?" I asked, even as I cringed at the thought of being stuck underground much longer.

"I hope so."

We went through the door and saw the familiar hall with the long row of torches. I looked at each of the walls, trying to see if any paintings were hung around here. I didn't see any, though.

Julius reached the opposite door first and waited for us to approach. We stood around the door, eager and yet ready for whatever may lie on the other side.

Julius jerked the door open. Bright lights greeted us and I buried my face back into Soma's coat to shield my eyes.

"Coast is clear," Soma announced. We edged our way through the door, looking out for any signs of enemies before we close the door behind us. A spiraling staircase taking us up was in front of us. The walls and floor were a stainless bronze and tapestries hung from the walls. A dark red carpet stretched out in front of us, towards the stairs and upwards.

"Where is this?" asked Julius.

A head popped into view on the landing directly above us. "Welcome back to the Gala!!!!"

"C-Chessa-san!!!" I cried, running to get a better look at her. "Are you all right?!?! Did Nancy discover you?!?!"

"Not yet," she answered, folding her arms over the rail. "But my time is almost up. Since you killed Onor, it narrowed the field down for them. But you guys are doing good so far, so I'm not scared of being discovered by this point." She leaned back and suddenly swung her legs over the rail. She jumped off the landing and we had to jump out of the way as she landed gracefully on her feet in front of us.

"You know there's a flight of stairs right there?" asked Julius, pointing to them.

Chessa shrugged. "This saved me a few seconds."

"Wait a second," said Soma. "You said…this is the Gala? We're back at the _Gala_?!"

"That's wonderful!!!" I cried, clapping my hands. "No more weird underground passages!!!!"

Soma slapped a hand over his face and groaned. "We covered good ground before Nancy dropped us down that hole…now we have to go back up!!!!"

Julius chuckled, rubbing at his chin. "This maze-mess only adds to the _charm_ of Castlevania." He looked at his watch and glanced at us. "I think I'll go on my own way for a little while; I want to check with Arikado about something. Do you think you guys can meet us at the Library at six?"

"Six?" Soma and I echoed.

"It's quarter after two in the morning," Julius supplied. "You both have been running around in here for almost three days."

"THREE DAYS?!?!" we shouted together.

"Wow, you guys are in synch!!!" laughed Chessa.

"Yeah, three days," laughed Julius. "So, can you make it?"

Soma shook his head in disbelief. "I don't see why not, unless we run into any problems. We might get lost trying to find it."

"Oh, don't worry about that!!" said Chessa. She held out her hand. "Let me see the map!!!"

Soma took it out of his pocket and handed it to her. She pulled out a pen and began drawing lines on it. Thankfully it didn't take too long and she handed the map back to Soma. "Just get back up to the higher portion of the Outer Wall, go through the Chapel, and you should find it just fine."

"Chapel?" I asked. It was unexpected; I didn't expect the question to pop out of me.

"Sounds good," said Julius. He looked at us and gave Soma a slight salute with his hand. "See you at six." He turned and took off running up the stairs. Even for his age he could run very fast. We heard one of the doors slam open and shut above us.

"Six am?" said Soma. "I should—" he looked at his watch and cursed. "My watch is broken!!!"

"Take mine," said Chessa, pulling hers off and handing it to him. It was very obviously a girl's watch, but he pulled his broken one off, tossed it aside, and pulled hers on.

"Thanks," he said.

"Pomp and Circumstance" cut through the air suddenly. I couldn't help but jump. "That's Nancy, isn't it?"

Chessa laughed slightly and pulled out her cell phone. "You guys better get going. I'll help you more later." She answered her phone and began speaking in a foreign language as she opened the door leading to the Catacombs and closing it shut quickly behind her.

We stared at the closed door in silence. "Why would she have that tone for such a horrible person?" I asked.

Soma shrugged. "Maybe it was Nancy who gave her the phone?" he waved to me. "Let's go. Looks like we have a long way to go."

"We did anyways," I teased, but I followed him to the stairwell.


	15. Part 15

Part 15

The journey back through the Gala to get to the Outer Wall took a lot less time than I thought it would. I was a little edgier going back through the Outer Wall, half-expecting to see Boomer or Nancy waiting for us. But we faced no further hassles than the usual monsters that occupied this area.

We thankfully saw a familiar face though, as we headed back down the hallway in which we met Boomer. He was sitting on the ground, nursing a nasty-looking gash on his side. But even down the hall from him I could pick up the sound of his even breathing. It was a clear enough sign to me that his injuries were nonlife-threatening and rushed forward, past Soma to get to him. "Hammer-san!!!!"

He looked up as we ran over to him, a wry smile on his face. "So you two are alive, eh?"

"You didn't doubt we would be, did you?" Soma teased, folding his arms over his chest.

Hammer shook his head but then winced. "Not for a moment. Shit, this hurts though." He continued to nurse his side. "That lady certainly gave me a run for her money. I should've taken her out on the airplane, but I missed my chance then and then she almost killed you two—"

"She won't kill me," interrupted Soma, his tone bitter. "Seeing as I'm Dracula, I'll always be useful to her alive. But, this won't stop her from killing everyone else around me."

"She hasn't done it yet," I pointed up, turning my head to give him an encouraging smile. "And she won't be able to."

Soma reluctantly nodded. "I sure hope so…"

"Me too," grunted Hammer, struggling to stand up. Soma and I were at his side at once and helped him on either side. "My ego can only stand getting my ass kicked by a woman so many times."

I burst out laughing. "Well, I can keep a secret of you can!!!"

Soma pulled out the map. "There's a safe haven around here, a couple doors down. Do you think you can hang on long enough to get there?"

"Aw man, it's just down the hall?!?! Why doesn't somebody _tell_ me these things?!?!" but Hammer seemed to be able to walk easily enough as we guided him.

I couldn't help but smile at him. "Just rest in there for a little while. When you're able to, get down to the library by 6 am. We're meeting Arikado-san and the others there."

"6 am?! It's _morning_ now?!" Hammer groaned again, but nodded. "I'll try to get there, if I don't get lost."

"It's just past the Chapel," said Soma, looking at each one of the doors.

"Hey, I didn't ask how you guys fared," said Hammer, looking between the two of them. "Where'd you end up?"

"The Catacombs," I said, shuddering a little. "We also ran into Julius-san down there, too. We also met with one of the cult members…" I trailed off and bit my lower lip. That teenage face floated back into my head and I tried to suppress it as much as possible. He tried to kill us, but Onor had still been a child. It was a tough pill to swallow.

And unfortunately, Hammer didn't quite take the hint. "You guys fought one of them? How did you do?"

"He's dead," said Soma, his tone edgy and blatantly clear he wouldn't say anymore.

Hammer took _this _hint and simply nodded. "Hmm, okay. How many of 'em does that leave now?"

"Sixx-Bit, though he's missing a hand," I said, and regretted it when I saw Soma wince. "Boomer, but outside of craziness he seems useless. And then there's Xenon and Nancy, and I think they're the ones we have to be most concerned about."

"Hear, hear," said Hammer. "That lady may look good, but she's merciless. Never hesitates and never shows any emotions. She's hot but she's creepy too."

"And we don't know the extent of Xenon's powers," said Soma. "But since everyone, including Nancy, seems to be taking order from him, he must be even more powerful than her." He stopped abruptly before a door. "This is it, Hammer. Will you be all right on your own?"

Hammer groaned and pulled himself away from us. "Man!!! I don't need a couple of kids to worry about an old man like me!!! Just get going!!! I'll catch up with you later!!!"

"Do you want the map?" asked Soma, holding it out to him. "I memorized the path to the Library."

Hammer waved a dismissive hand. "You're the important one in this, Soma. You'll need it more than me." He opened the door and turned to look at us. "Well, I'll see you guys at 6. If I don't get lost before then." Then he closed the door behind him.

We both waited for a moment, as if expecting somebody to ambush Hammer on the other side. When we didn't hear anything else we both relaxed. "The Chapel's just down this way," said Soma, opening the map again. "It looks like it has a few stories to it but if we stick to the lower levels we'll find the door leading to the Library."

I nodded. "Let's go, then."

I don't know exactly what I was expecting. The moment the word 'Chapel' was mentioned, I became on edge. A _Chapel_ in the middle of Castlevania? When Dracula despised God so much? It almost seemed like a bad joke.

We walked down the adjoining hallways between the Outer Wall and the Chapel. It still looked no different than the other adjoining hallways all over the castle. But now I felt apprehension with every step I took. For some reason, just the thought of going into this area was more terrifying to me than going through the Catacombs. Was it going to be like for us?

"Mina?" I blinked and stared at Soma. He was quite a distance ahead of me and I realized I'd stopped in my tracks. "Are you okay?"

I quickly shook my head and ran to catch up with him. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine Soma."

"We'll be okay," he assured me, mistaken my stop for fear. "The Chapel should be one of our tamest areas. And it's brightly lit, too."

I nodded and forced a smile. "All right…"

Soma still hesitated when we reached the opposite door. He swung it open with quick force, his sword poise. But no monsters came rushing at us. He looked at me over his shoulder. "The coast is clear, but stay behind me."

I followed him inside, and was immediately dazzled. It was as though I stepped into an alternate dimension. It was _beautiful_ in here!!! We stood in a narrow hallway, a dead-end on the far side and a massive doorway a few feet away on our right. The walls though were a very pale color…I couldn't even pinpoint one color because they shone like an ever-changing stone. Light leaked in through massive cathedral-esque windows, each painted meticulously in lavish colors and with intricate designs. Light hit each window pane differently, and so light danced off the walls in all different colors. It didn't seem like sunlight to me, and it was way too early for the sun to even be out. But it added ambiance to this area and I felt at peace. I couldn't believe Dracula had created this, when most the rest of the castle looked and felt so decrepit.

Soma looked around us, seemingly unaffected by the splendor. "We'd better keep moving, Mina. A lot of aerial monsters inhabit this place."

It broke my heart that monster had corrupted this place, but I quickly nodded my head. "I know, Soma."

He took careful steps towards the massive doorway. I allowed my hand to trail against the wall slightly. Beautiful or not, I had to be on high alert. The monsters wouldn't stop and let me just gape at everything.

_But why _would_ Dracula create a symbol of God, such as this Chapel, if he hated God? _My eyes fell to the floor. _It doesn't make sense…_

"_Keep your eyes closed."_

I stilled. "What?"

"_Just keep walking forward a little more. I'll let you know when the time is right."_

I looked up and gasped. The hallway was even more dazzling than before, if that were at all possible. The surface actually shimmered in bright colors from the light from the windows.

"_Lisa." _Vlad stood in front of me, where Soma had been standing. _"Your eyes are still open."_

My mouth moved without me realizing it. _"I-I'm sorry." _My eyes closed and my feet stepped forward again. I was aware of a strange pressure and weight on my left hand, but I didn't give it much thought.

I kept going until I felt a hand on my shoulder, turning me to the right. _"All right, Lisa. Now you can open your eyes."_

"_WOW!!!!!" _I started slightly at this exclamation. This was a _child's _voice. Before I could ingest this knowledge, I was star struck by the majesty of the place. The walls and floor glistened, and there were high cathedral windows of many different colors. There were paintings in here too, _religious _paintings, and there were rows of pews, although I saw many different doorways.

"_Is this to your liking, Lisa?"_ Vlad asked me.

Was it to my liking? It was beyond _anything_ I had ever seen!!!! _"It's wonderful, Vlad. I cannot believe you would do this, to alter your castle in such a way, in order to give this to me!!!"_

He chuckled softly, although it was short. _"You love and worship God, Lisa. I cannot approve of it nor will I ever join in, but I know how much it means to you. I want to keep you away from prying eyes, and I still do not yet know how our union will affect you in terms of holy items. But, I can give you your own Chapel to worship God in. It's not sacred ground, but my minions know enough to never enter this place."_

Tears filled my eyes and blurred my vision. I turned towards him, wanting to reach out for him but feeling my hand be obstructed. _"Thank you, Vlad. You have no idea how much this means to me."_

"_And don't worry!! I shall be with Mother and so nobody shall bother her!!!"_

I looked down to my left side and saw what had been holding my hand. A little boy stood right beside me, clutching my hand but looking up at Vlad. He had a head of platinum hair and his eyes were very pale gray. He turned to look up at me and smiled, although it sadly looked awkward on his beautiful face. _"I __**will**__ watch over you, Mother!!! You can count on me!!"_

I returned the smile, even as I dabbed away my tears. _"I know, Adrian."_

"MINA, LOOK OUT!!!!!!!!!"

I blinked. Soma slammed into me hard, sending me sprawling to the floor as something whizzed over me, slamming into the wall behind us. I heard the sharp clang of steel as I slowly sat up, trying to figure out what just happened. I looked behind us to see a giant sword embedded into the wall. Somebody threw it at me.

I turned back around. And gaped. Soma was doing battle with a battalion of _floating swords_, smaller sharp ones floating around a single giant one pulsating with colors and energy. Soma whacked each sword aside, trying to get to the center one. I could hear the sword behind me wiggling its way out of the wall. I tried to scoot away as it came loose and the tip pointed at me.

Finally, Soma knocked another sword aside and struck the main one. It screamed in pain and collapsed to the floor. The sword threatening abruptly dropped to the floor, once again a stationary weapon.

Soma rushed to my side. "Are you all right?!?! You were in a trance!!!"

"I…" I shook my head as he helped me up. "I'm sorry. It's just this place…"

"We'll need to move quickly," said Soma, holding his own sword high. "We're short on time as it is."

"I know." I followed him into the main area. To my complete surprise it looked no different than it did before. Most of the shine that had illuminated this area had faded, but it still looked well taken care of. Pews were still in place and the windows were unbroken and the religious paintings didn't reach for us as we past them. If the aerial monsters didn't fly at us at every turn, I would've sworn I was still having a flashback.

But…now it made sense. It was really heartbreaking, but this area was all too evident of Dracula's love for Lisa. Despite everything, despite all that he condemned God for, he created a representation of a holy place in his own castle, all for Lisa's sake. It wasn't all show, either. Confessional rooms marked various corridors, crosses were hung from the ceiling (although they seemed to have no effect on the monsters) and vials of holy water were on mantels. It was easy to grab one and throw it at a monster and watch it disintegrate.

_He got real holy water for her. He cursed God and holy items hurt him so much, but he still created this place. All for her._

It humbled me deeply that he would do such a thing, even as more and more monsters flew at us. Soma didn't seem fazed at all that this seemingly holy place was corrupted, even as Dracula had promised Lisa that no monsters would bother her here. Now they had free reign as with the other regions of Castlevania.

_What happened? Lisa touched Dracula's life deeply, and yet he turned to evil and ruined so many lives. Why would he do that if he had Lisa by his side, his dead wife restored to him?_

I stopped in my tracks. A cold feeling washed over me. What exactly _did _happen to Lisa?

"Mina." Soma came over to me and took my hand. "I know this place bothers you, but don't worry. I'll get us out of here."

I shook my head. "This area isn't so bad. It's just…"

"A Chapel," Soma surmised. "And it sticks out like a sore thumb around here." He tugged on my hand. "Let's go."

Ledges lined the walls, leading to platforms out of reach. We climbed high stairwells and dodged harpies and more flying swords in the bell tower. Soma threw another spell at a harpy, causing it to smash into the massive bell and it began to peal noisily. I clamped my hands over my ears at the rich but aging sound and we kept going. By this point Soma was physically exhausted. I knew we should've stopped with Hammer and rested at the safe haven, but it was too late to retrace our steps. "I think we need to stop, Soma."

"We'll stop when we get to the Library," he answered me, killing a skeletal monster. "There are no safe havens in this area, but there should be one near the Library's entrance."

_I hope so,_ I thought, but I didn't say it out loud. "All right, that sounds like a plan."

"You _do_ look tired, Mina. A little bit of rest before we meet up with the others should do you some good."

I tried very hard not to laugh. "I'm not worried about myself, Soma. I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine." He shot a fireball at an oncoming harpy.

"You're not moving as quickly as you were in the Catacombs. We've rested very little since we returned above ground, but you've had to watch yourself and me. You need rest more than I do."

Soma said nothing for a long moment, striking a few more enemies. Then he said, "Do you have any more of that coffee?"

I couldn't help but smile. "One more can, just for you."

The Chapel branched off into many different areas, leading up to the Clock Tower and back down into the Outer Wall. There was also the entrance to the Library, which was sort of the middle ground here.

I knew we found the right exit when we became face-to-face with about twenty harpies.

"Stay behind me," ordered Soma, taking another stance. His breathing was so heavy and sweat permeated his already pale face. My throat tightened at the sight of his visible strain. It was only a reminder to me that he'd just come off of a job dismantling a cult in France. He'd literally had no break in between this ordeal from the last. How much more could he take? Especially since this whole situation was my fault?! If I hadn't insisted on joining this freak journey, he wouldn't have to work so hard.

But…someone was looking out for us. Neither side had time to move before a massive fireball ripped through the harpies' ranks. Horrible shrieks of pain echoed through the air as bodies—and body_ parts_—flew into the air. Soma jumped back into me as blood sprayed the beautiful floor, walls, and even the church windows. All that was left of the harpies were pieces strewed all over the floor.

"Looks like you needed help."

Both Soma and I perked up at this voice and I rushed over to the familiar figure in front of the door we hoped led to the Library. "Yoko-san!!!!"

Yoko smiled at me and surprised me by giving me a hug. "Hanging in there, you guys?"

"Marginally," said Soma, putting his sword away as he approached us. "How about you?"

Yoko waved a hand. "Nothing too serious. I had to stage a fight with Chessa in order to throw off her boss."

"Nancy?" I asked.

"Yeah. I swear, there's something familiar about that lady but I can't quite put my finger on it."

"…I feel the same way, too," said Soma. "Are you okay?"

"We roughed each other up with spells, but it satisfied Nancy enough to leave us to our devices." Yoko suddenly rubbed her left wrist. "That girl _definitely _is in with Ecclesia, though…"

I smiled again. "She roughed you up, Yoko-san?"

Yoko glowered at me. "I'll have you know I got in a few good shots myself. By anyways…" she looked them over. "Arikado and Julius are waiting for you guys. I told them I go and see if you made it through, but I haven't seen Hammer."

"Nancy roughed him up," said Soma. "He's resting in a haven in the Outer Wall."

Yoko sighed heavily. "It's almost time to meet. I might as well go get him."

_I'm sure he'll enjoy that_, I thought amusingly. "Thank you, Yoko-san. We left him at the immediate haven leading to this area."

"Then that will definitely save me some searching time." She suddenly held out her hand to Soma. "Do you have a map?"

"Chessa gave us one," said Soma, pulling it out and handing it to her.

Yoko pulled out a pen and drew a line on the map. "Here. This is the room we'll be meeting at. Do you have a watch?"

"Chessa gave me one." Soma held up the feminine watch for Yoko to see.

Yoko took one look at it and snorted. "Good. It's 5:45 right now, meaning the meeting's in 45 minutes. I might be a little late, depending upon how far along Hammer's recovery is—and how much trouble he gets himself into. But go ahead and start without us; I don't have any useful information at the moment and I highly doubt Hammer has any, either."

I didn't believe her, not by a long shot. But I wasn't about to argue with her right then. "Okay. Good luck and take care of yourself, Yoko-san."

Yoko smiled and patted the side of my head. "You know me."

"We'll see you at 6:30," said Soma. There was definitiveness about his voice, as though he was ordering her to stay alive.

Yoko picked up on this and playfully snapped to attention "Aye aye, Sir."

---

"Watch your head for flying books. And furniture."

That was Soma's warning to me once we entered the Library. Still, I was completely awestruck by what I saw. This wasn't a Library for nothing; I'd never seen so many books in my entire life. Was it even possible to own so many books?! Thousands…no, not even that. There had to be at least a million books in here. Hardcover, paperback, leather-bound, cloth-bound, and some held together with nothing more than binding glue. They were crammed into every nook and cranny onto very, very high bookshelves. The dome ceiling had to be at least 20 meters above our heads, but the bookshelves lined the rotunda. Unlike the majestic paintings in the Chapel, the demons glaring down at us from the ceiling were far from appealing.

And yes…the books attacked us. We ran past the bookshelves, most of them containing books at least a thousand years old. A hardcover book flew right off its shelf and hit me square in the back before flopping onto the floor. I paused briefly to stare down at this dumbly before another book leapt off its shelves. Torn pages became razor-sharp teeth that gnashed at me and I ran to keep up with Soma.

"The room they want us to meet in is very hidden," said Soma, looking at the map before idly handing it to me. "It's also on a ledge high near the ceiling, so I'll have to do a bit of jumping once we get there."

I ducked my head as a tea cozy from a nearby table jumped at me. "Is it always so…_crazy _in here?!?! What's the point of all these books if he just turns them into weapons?!?!"

"…I don't know," said Soma quietly. He kicked a poisonous plant trying to spring up between the dark oak floorboards and the burgundy carpet. "Even now, it's hard for me to understand him."

I stopped briefly and stared at him. "Soma, I didn't mean—"

This time, the tea cozy _did_ hit me in the head. It was thankfully pretty harmless and we kept going.

Without all the monsters and poltergeist-esque things flying around in here, the Library could've been very charming. It wasn't spiritual or nearly comforting as the Chapel, but I almost felt at home in here.

_That's because this place WAS your home at one point…in one other life._

I felt sick at that thought and stumbled at a knot in the carpet. My hand reached out and grabbed the nearest bookshelf, even as a hardcover book packed with what looked like 8,000 pages flew off the shelf and clubbed me in the head.

---

"_Mother, are you okay?"_

_I tried to smile down at my son, but I was weary and the endearment didn't come easily. "Of course I am. Just try to continue keeping watch, okay?"_

_Adrian looked up at me and nodded. He was still so very young, barely into his tenth year. He looked so much like his father that it filled me with pride. And yet, I could sense a great of influence of Vlad in him. He acknowledged his human side and he was nothing but kind to me. But the very mention of __**any**__ human other than myself had my son turning his nose up and scoffing._

_And blood…the need for blood with him had thankfully waned as he grew older and he could take human food without getting sick. But there were still the times he craved it, and needed it. If he didn't have blood to satisfy the cravings he got so deathly ill, and as both a doctor and a mother I feel that I fail him. When he needed blood, Vlad was on hand to provide for him. He continued to forbid me to feed him myself, never wanting Adrian to get a taste for my blood._

_But…but I wasn't blind. Vlad may not allow me to give Adrian blood, but he no longer gave our son his own blood unless he became gravely ill. He provided our child with fresh blood from a source he would not name to me. I fear that the source was human. The blood never looked like a fatal amount, and it gave me some assurances that nobody had to die for Adrian's sake. But I still bothered me that he drank human blood at all. What was Vlad trying to do? Vlad himself didn't drink the blood he brought our son and I could tell he was still taking animal's blood for himself to feed. It was costing him a great amount of energy, and I knew the lifeblood of a pure person could give him strength beyond imagination._

_But he wouldn't do so. And I knew there had to be repercussions for it._

_I held tightly to Adrian's hand as we hurried up the small staircase towards the books on botany. Vlad didn't like me traveling through the castle, with all the dangers it presented a human woman, even his own wife. The few times I walked alone I saw the monsters and they frightened me. But they always left me alone and never bothered me._

_Here…it was different. The enchanted books began to rattle ominously as we past them, and though we were never approached, the monsters in this area hovered too closely to us for my liking. Their eyes were on __**me**__, though, not Adrian, and they seemed to hiss at me. Something was wrong, that was certain. Mayhap this was the price I had to pay for being married to their master, and for my presence to discomfort him enough to not take a human life…and to not be at a heightened sense of power._

_We reached the section I wanted. There was a nearby table and though the furniture didn't attack me the chair absolutely refused to budge when I tried to pull it out. After a few moments I gave up on it and turned to the shelf. Adrian growled at the chair and kicked it a few times and it groaned in pain._

_I dumped several books onto the stationary and flipped through them wall. Candles dimmed around us, hampering my efforts, but I squinted against their dimness to read the small font. Some books had printed text, but many of them were handwritten. Some were in a foreign, or maybe dead language, that I couldn't understand._

"_Mother?" said Adrian warily, looking at the ever growing number of monsters around us._

"_I know, darling. Just give me more time, I've almost got it." I tossed another book aside and picked up another. The writing was cursive and faded, but I could read and understand it as I flipped through the pages. It had to be there; it just HAD to be!!!_

_Finally…yes!!! I found what I was looking for!!!! I held the place in the book and hugged it to my chest. "Here it is, Adrian!!"_

"_Here what is?"_

_I jumped at this voice and Adrian yelped. Abruptly the candles came alive around us and the monsters fled in a massive fury. I slowly turned around, still holding the book to me. "Hello, Vlad."_

_Vlad looked very displeased with the book of us, even as his tone remained calm. "Why have you come here, Lisa? Did I not warn you of the unpredictable monsters inhabiting the castle?!" he dropped his harsh gaze to Adrian, who yelped and hid behind my skirts. "Don't cower before me, boy!!"_

"_Vlad," I said gently, taking Adrian by the arm and bringing him out from behind me. "Please do not be angry with me. Something has happened and I must help."_

_His features relaxed slightly. "What has happened?"_

"_Scarlatina has returned to the region, although much worse than previous years. It has infected my town, as well as half the countryside. Eleven people died yesterday and more are becoming sicker and sicker. If this persists, then there will be nobody left alive once it passes again."_

_He raised an eyebrow at me. "Scarlatina is as a part of life as breathing, Lisa. No matter what soothing balms you develop for it, people will still die of it and it will return again next year on schedule."_

"_Vlad." I took a step forward. "I can't let them die. They're my people, and many of them are my patients. As a doctor, I cannot stand by and watch them suffer. Even if my medicines amount to nothing but delaying the inevitable, I refuse to do nothing. Please…you must understand. They're dying, and they're dying horribly. It breaks my heart to see them suffer."_

_He was silent for a very long time. "And what happens if you too become sick?"_

_I raised my chin. I knew what he was getting at. Elisabetha died so easily of sickness and if he lost me in such a way…no, that was impossible. "I never have gotten sick from my patients. And even if I did, I know how I would take care of myself." Because I was a doctor, and I knew the right herbs and balms to take._

_He seemed to accept my explanation, albeit reluctantly. "And how do you plan on saving them?"_

"_This." I raised my book. "I remembered something in one of the books you gave me. In Asia they have used belladonna to treat Scarlatina. In each case I read about, the sickness cleared up."_

"_Belladonna?!?!" he cried incredulously. Adrian winced under my hand. "Nightshade?! You're going to use nightshade as your medicine?! That's a poison, Lisa!!!"_

"_I know that," I said. "But brewed correctly can produce an incredibly potent serum."_

"_It is risky, Lisa. What if you poison those you try to save?! Can you imagine the type of trouble you will bring to yourself?!?!"_

"_It's a risk I'm more than willing to take."_

_He stared at me for another long moment. Suddenly he stepped forward and put his hands on my shoulders. "Everything that is mine is also yours, Lisa. If this book has a potion that will cure Scarlatina, then it is yours to use. And I have plenty of nightshade in the Outer Gardens. If you feel you can make a difference against this, then I can hardly complain."_

_A sob tore through my throat and tears filled my eyes. I threw my arms around him. "Thank you so much!!!! You have no idea what a blessing this is!!! Praise be to Je—"_

"_Sing your praises if you succeed," Vlad interrupted me, though he returned my embrace. "And know the consequences if you don't."_

_I nodded into his shoulder. I __**was**__ confident I could produce a potent medicine that wouldn't poison anyone. Everyone was in such desperate need; I couldn't stand by and do nothing. And I was so thankful Vlad understood my intentions, even if he didn't understand my actions._

_Adrian pressed himself against my side. "Mother will succeed. There's not a human or magician anywhere who's as talented as she is."_

_I dropped one of my hands onto Adrian's head and basked in the glow of my family. Even as I knew we were not alone, and those monsters lurked in the shadows around us, watching us with dead eyes…_

---

"…Mina?"

I was awake abruptly. I felt that same burgundy carpet underneath my cheek and groaned. "Huh?" I lifted my head and blinked at Soma, who was helping me to sit up. "What was that?"

Soma lifted up a thick hardcover book with a great deal of difficulty. "This hit you square in the head. Knocked you out cold."

I squinted at the faded cover. "…_Artamène_? Who in the world would write a book that's 8,000 pages?!?!"

A steaming cup suddenly filled my vision. "A brother and sister team and the book is in fact over 13,000 pages."

My head snapped up at this voice. "Arikado-san!!!!" I tried to stand, but my vision blurred and I sat back down. "I have to stop hitting my head…"

"This potion should heal you properly."

I shook my head. "Please, not another potion…"

"If you don't want to travel with a debilitating head injury, you'll have to drink the potion."

"Please drink it, Mina," said Soma.

"Just so long as the books stop attacking me," I grumbled, but I took the cup from him and swallowed it as quickly as possible.

"Yes, they have a tendency to do that," said Arikado, as though books jumping off of shelves and trying to kill you was perfectly normal. The potion cleared my vision enough for me to see him start to walk away from us. "The both of you are late, but since Yoko and Hammer haven't arrived it's really no problem."

"Hold on a second!!!!" I shouted suddenly, jumping to my feet. "I want answers!!!!"

"Mina—" said Soma.

"No, we _both_ deserve answers, Soma!!!! You deserve to know everything about Dracula and Mathias, just the same as _I _deserve to know everything about Elisabetha and Lisa!!!"

Arikado flinched slightly, but he quickly recovered himself as he turned around. "Do you know what you're saying, Mina?"

"Absolutely," I snapped. "I want answers and I know all of you have them!!! Even my parents know what's happening to me, but they…" I closed my eyes and shook my head. "No, never mind. But I'm not going anywhere and I'm not leaving you or anyone else alone until I know everything!!!"

Arikado stared at me for a long moment. He gave Soma a sideways glance. "You're wondering as well, too?"

"I'm _always _wondering about myself," said Soma. "But this is Mina we're talking about, and these people want her dead. You obviously know what's going on with this, and you have no right to keep these reasons from her."

Arikado shrugged slightly and looked at me. "All right. I never had any intentions of deliberately hiding the truth from you, Mina. But trust me when I say you won't like what you hear."


	16. Part 16

Part 16

After everything I'd gone through up to that point, I highly doubted that anything Arikado told me would shock me. I was certain _nothing_ would shock me for the rest of my life.

But…I was prepared, anyways. Someone was _finally_ giving me answers.

The room was as hidden as Soma predicted. We had to jump from ledge to ledge, dodging other monsters in the room that didn't involved flying books or furniture. I missed seeing the door once we found the place; Arikado had to point it out to me.

It looked like a small sitting room. A _normal_ sitting room, that is, because the furniture and books didn't jump out at us. It was a nice little room with two couches, modest-sized bookshelves, and an array of chairs around the room. One wall consisted of windows from one end to the next, stretching from the ceiling to long window seats. The sun should've risen by now, but all I saw out these windows was dense fog and dark clouds.

Julius was sitting on one of the couches when we entered. He looked up at us. "So, you both made it?"

"Yes," said Soma. He sheathed his sword and dropped down onto the opposite couch and sighed heavily. "Marginally."

"Soma and Mina have asked for answers and I'm going to give them answers," said Arikado. He didn't take a seat anywhere, only walking over to the nearest bookshelf to lean on it.

Julius didn't protest, as I thought he would. He simply snorted. "A fine time to tell them in this hellhole, hmm?"

"No time like the present," I said firmly, sitting down beside Soma.

"There's no use waiting for the others, so let's get started now," said Arikado. "What do you want to know?"

"Are Mathias Cronqvist and Count Dracula the same person?" asked Soma.

"Yes." Arikado's answer was very matter-of-fact.

"B-But what happened?!" I demanded, a chill overtaking me. I wasn't naïve, though; I gleaned enough from my dreams to show me of who Dracula really was. His acknowledgement of Elisabetha's existence to Lisa was a sure indicator of this. "Why did he…" I realized I couldn't say the words.

But thankfully, Arikado understood my unspoken question. "To understand the reasoning, you have to understand Mathias. Mathias Cronqvist was a nobleman who lived in every sense of chivalry. Honorable, intelligent, he was a very giving person and he was respected and liked throughout the country for his accomplishments and for his personality."

"His faith in God was also renowned," said Julius. "This was a man who would proudly go to worship each day, no matter how demanding his schedule was. He was a Crusader, too. Sure, he fought for his own honor but first and foremost in his mind was to fight for God. He took great personal joy in being a Christian—more specifically a Catholic—but this was a true man of faith. His devotion was so profound; you might've thought he would join the clergy."

"But he didn't," I said quietly, looking down at my lap. "He met Elisabetha."

"Mathias fell in love with Elisabetha upon first sight, and it would appear she did the same," said Arikado. "Unlike most men of the time period, Mathias pursued her and won her hand because of this, regardless of any financial consequences he might face."

"Yes, he paid her father for her," I blurted out. "And he never cheated on her, either."

Soma gave me a sideways glance.

"All of this is true, and Mathias was at his best and happiest with Elisabetha," continued Arikado, folding his arms over his chest. "It was a special time period for him; he had a wife he loved deeply and he had a god to worship to that he also loved deeply. But…things changed."

"Elisabetha became ill." It was harder for me to say than I thought it was.

"Pestilence," said Julius. "Not uncommon at all in the 11th century. People were dropping dead of strep throat back then."

"But Elisabetha grew very ill, and Mathias's work with the Crusade demanded he spend more and more time away from home," added Arikado. "He wanted to be by Elisabetha's side, but he couldn't tear himself away from what he felt was God's work. Maybe he had it in his head that if he worked even harder for God, then God would spare Elisabetha."

But He didn't. Elisabetha stilled died.

"But she died anyways," said Soma. He looked at me again. "You dreamt of her death, right?"

I nodded stiffly, not wanting to say it out loud.

"She did die," said Arikado. His voice suddenly grew soft. "And with her died Mathias's humanity. From his perspective, he'd devoted himself unconditionally to God his entire life, only for Him to take away what he cherished most in this world. He felt God was a user, uncaring of those who loved Him and sacrificed for Him. But, how do you avenge your most beloved person when the one you scorn is a deity, untouched on any plane? Mathias then got it in his head that his revenge on God involved not bloodshed upon believers or even try to hurt God. He decided the best way possible was to give up his humanity, to be an immortal demon who would live forever and torment God with evil and never giving him his soul."

"But…how did he do it?" my tone was still quiet. "How did he get from being a human to a vampire? And how did Leon work in all of this?"

"Dracula was not the first vampire," said Julius. "As I told you before, a master vampire by the name of Walter Bernhard began terrorizing the region not long after Elisabetha died. Mathias was believed mad and bed-ridden and so very few people bothered with him. But Mathias met with Walter in secret and saw Walter had the Ebony Stone. He convinced Walter that the stone could be used to summon and control Death, when in actuality the Ebony Stone is only used for making the land grow dark, even during the day."

I quickly looked outside. It was morning, but I still couldn't see any rays of sun. "Is this the work of the Ebony Stone?!"

"Only Castlevania is enveloped in darkness," said Arikado. "The Ebony Stone would cause of all of Tokyo, and possibly all of southeastern Japan, to fall into darkness. The thing of it is, the Ebony Stone doesn't control Death. The _Crimson Stone_ does, and that was Mathias's ultimate goal."

"And so he betrayed Leon," said Soma, his tone also very quiet. "And had Walter steal his fiancée."

"What _did_ happen to Sara?!?!" I demanded. "Walter didn't kill her, did he?!?!"

Julius slowly nodded his head. "He turned her into a vampire, Mina. However, she was able to keep hold of her human mind long enough for Leon to take her life."

I cried out, covering my mouth with my hands. "Oh my God!!!! Oh no…"

Julius calmly unwound the whip at his hip and showed it to me. "What you see here is the Vampire Killer. Created by Rinaldo Gandolfi, it was originally the Whip of Alchemy, which Leon had very little control over. Then, when he took Sara's life her soul merged with the whip, thus creating the legacy of the Belmonts."

I pointed to the whip with a trembling hand. "Sara's _soul_ is in _that_?!?!"

"Yes." Julius wound it back up. "It was the sacrifice she made in order to protect the man she loved."

"B-But I don't understand!!!!" I ran a hand through my hair. "Mathias and Leon were best friends!!! They'd been friends most of their lives!!!! W-Why would Mathias do such a horrible thing to him?!?! He _knew _what sort of pain Leon would be feeling, and he deliberately put him through that hell!!!!"

"He didn't take responsibility for it."

We all turned to look at Soma, who wore an unreadable expression. "He tried to get Leon to join him, because he rationalized that Sara's death was another cruel joke by God. With his Crimson Stone, Mathias became a true master vampire, and could be revived at will, never dying. He finally achieved what he sought after; a never-ending life to spite God, built on the backs of many innocent people."

"…You remember, Soma," I said quietly.

Soma shrugged stiffly. "My memories became clearer in the Catacombs, when those corpses confronted me with my crimes—"

"_Dracula's_ crimes," I interrupted. "They aren't _your_ crimes."

"But they had a point," said Soma. "Illusions or not, they spoke the truth. In his quest to damn God, Mathias…or rather, Dracula ruined many, many people's lives."

"But what about Lisa?!" I blurted out. I noticed that Arikado flinched out of the corner of my eye, but I didn't say anything about it. "She was Elisabetha's reincarnation!!!!"

"Yes, she was," said Arikado. His tone had suddenly become stiff. "For the first three hundred years of his immortality, Dracula was very subdued. He despised and curse God, and he created monsters and summon them from the nether world to spite Him. But, his reign of terror was minimal at best. He had the general attitude to never bother with people. He would have to feed upon them, yes, but his existence consisted of him cursing God."

"But then he met Lisa."

"Then he met Lisa, a human doctor who had the face and memories of his dead wife." Arikado was silent for a moment before he continued. "God had returned Elisabetha to Mathias, but it seems odd that he would do so three hundred years after Mathias became an immortal, and Dracula. But she was there with him, and he could not be without her."

"And so they married…and had a son." I shook my head. "But none of this makes sense!!! If Lisa was by his side, then why did Dracula go on to terrorize humans?!?! She made him happy, and so did their child!!!! And yet, most of what those illusions accused Soma of doing happen _afterwards_!!!! So why would he betray Lisa like this?!?!"

"Because Dracula found a new target for his rage," said Julius.

"Who?!?!"

"Mankind, themselves."

I stiffened, and a cold chill consumed. "I-I don't understand."

"You haven't dreamt that far, then?" asked Arikado.

"As far as _what_?!" my voice broke with my fear.

Arikado didn't answer me and looked away. It was Julius who did.

"Lisa was tried and executed as a witch."

"W-WHAT?!?!" I jumped up from the couch and looked at both men in horror. "A witch?!?! But how?! Why?!?! She was a doctor!!!! A _doctor_!!!! She never hurt anybody!!!!"

"That time period was a bad time for a woman to be as educated and skilled as a man," said Arikado. It was strange, but his tone sounded _bitter_. "Truthfully it was a surprise such accusations weren't leveled against her earlier in her life, but something happened to enhance suspicion."

"Scarlatina!!!" I blurted out. All three of them looked at me and I blushed. "Or rather, scarlet fever. She took a risk and prepared a nightshade as a medicine for those sick."

Soma suddenly looked sick. He gripped his shoulder in a defensive gesture and looked away.

"It _did_ work, though," said Arikado. "She prepared as much potion as possible out of nightshade to give to the sick." He snorted slightly. "She was even handing it out for _free_. But she succeeded; every person she gave medicine to was cured of scarlet fever."

"But then _why_?!?!" I demanded again. "Why would they make such accusations against her if she _saved_ people?!?!"

"There were…a lot of reasons." Arikado's tone had grown soft. "Merchants were jealous of her skill and of her giving nature. None of them had _dared_ to give out anything for free. They rationalized that if she was the only person who made a medicine so well to combat the illness, then she _must _have been the one to create it."

"But you can't just create scarlet fever out of thin air!!!!"

"Back then, they believed you could."

"But she had a son!!! Didn't they realize if she experiment with chemical warfare she would be putting her own child in danger?!?!"

"_That _was another thing, unfortunately," said Arikado. "Most of her town didn't acknowledge her union with Dracula, even as they'd had an official wedding ceremony and documentation proving their marriage. The ceremony didn't take place in any church in the area—or any _church _for that matter—and so they further saw her as a whore and a witch."

"I remember reading about something like that." We all turned back to Soma, who still looked a little sick. "When Joan of Arc was tried for witchcraft, they checked her numerous times and found she was a virgin. It's what helped make her "trial" illegal because not being a virgin out of marriage was used as evidence you were a Bride of Satan."

"And Lisa wasn't a virgin," I said, looking back at Arikado. "She _was_ married to Dracula and had a child. But since they wouldn't accept her marriage…"

"There was…something else, too," said Arikado. He looked at Soma suddenly. "People were suspicious already, but it was Dracula's own minions who helped fuel their fears."

"_What_?!?!" Soma and I screamed.

"While he was with Lisa, Dracula found his happiness again and he even began to tolerate God. Having a child in his life also helped to give him contentment. But, the creatures he created and summoned, those that had sworn allegiance to him…they didn't like this change in him. They tolerated Lisa because she was their master's wife, but they despised her for bringing goodness to him again."

I thought of my most recent flashback, of the hostilities Lisa face in the Library. It shouldn't surprise me that creatures of darkness hated someone so good, but it hurt me deeply. "So they betrayed Dracula in order to kill her?"

"But why?!?!" snapped Soma, jumping to his feet. "Why didn't Dracula realize that his own minions did that to him?!?! Why only blame the humans?!?!"

"Because it was humans who ultimately killed her," said Arikado. "They put her on trial, they found her guilty, and they executed her. Furthermore, if Dracula were to acknowledge his own creatures had betrayed him, _he _would have to take some responsibility for Lisa's death, as _he'd_ summoned them."

"And so he turned on mankind, as he did God…because of love." A tight knot had formed in my chest. God, this was such a _horrible_ feeling!!!! The root of Dracula's evil was _love_?!?! Everything he did, the pain and suffering he dispensed upon people, was because of Elisabetha and Lisa?!?!

Because of ME?!?!

I didn't want to think about it that way. Tears were filling my eyes and it took a great deal of willpower to hold them back. "…Arikado-san?"

"Yes, Mina?"

"Adrian…" I swallowed thickly before I continued, but a couple of teardrops had leaked out. "Dracula and Lisa's son, Adrian…what happened to him? Nobody has ever mentioned him when they talk about Dracula. D-Did he die, too?" that was a lot harder to say than I thought. I was attached to that small boy and I hated to think that he'd been murdered too.

Julius looked at Arikado quickly, but Arikado had his eyes on me. Still, it was a very long moment before he answered my question.

"Mina…_I _am Adrian."

And it wasn't what I expected. A cold wave of shock consumed me, numbed me, and my head felt light. I felt slightly nauseas, too. I could barely choke out a response as I stumbled over to Arikado. "A-A-Adrian?!?!" I spun around to look at Soma, who looked equally stunned. I turned back to Arikado, who stared at me placidly. "Y-You?! _You're_ Adrian?!?! Y-You…I'm your _mother_?!?!"

"_Lisa_ was my mother," corrected Arikado. "So…yes."

My eyes rolled into the back of my head and I fainted.

---

_The cell was small and dank. It stank of dirt and rot, two odors I was not comfortable with. I felt filthy and cold and I huddled close to myself, curled into a small corner of this tiny room._

_How many days has it been? I knew not. In all that time I hadn't seen Vlad at all. Perhaps it was for all the better, though. Lord only knew what he would do once he found out what these people had done._

_They came for me at sunrise, brandishing their warrant and burning torches. I heard the screams of condemnation as they led me from my own home as though I were a criminal. I was only too thankful that Adrian had not been with me; he had been at the castle and I prayed he was oblivious to what was happening._

_The trial came expediently. I stood there before the people of my town, my land as they shouted recriminations at me, accusing me of witchcraft. Of deliberately staging the yearly bought of Scarlatina in order to further my business. Why was it that only __**I**__ had a proper cure? Why was it that none of the people I tended to died? Jealousy and grief washed away common sense, and I was put as to blame._

_They would allow me no defense. I was not allowed to speak. If I confirmed their stories then I was guilty. If I denied them then I was a liar…and furthermore guilty. I had to stand there and watch my patients; my neighbors take the stand against me. Anyone who tried to come to my defense was labeled as blaspheming as was physically thrown from the courthouse._

_What matter are witch trials like these? They based their arguments on impossibilities, which made it harder to defend myself. It was quite literally a no-win situation. I could not defend myself and if I tried I was silenced._

_I had to submit myself to the humiliation of an examination. The wedding band on my finger and my certificate mattered not to them. They wouldn't accept my marriage, as none of them had witnessed it. All they knew was that I was not a virgin and I had to stand in forcible shame as they spewed vile oaths at me for this. Humans…would they not dare turn the arrow of judgment on themselves? I looked upon those angry faces on the council, knowing that many of them had broken many of the Ten Commandments, and yet they stand in judgment of me. I could not feel rage though, only pity at their own self-absorption._

_I was not surprised that they found me guilty. How couldn't I be? I was tried and sentenced before I was even arrested. And tomorrow…tomorrow I face the stake. Oh, what a world is this that such horrendous punishments exist!!! _

_But I knew not what to do. If I called to Vlad he would surely come to my rescue. All the same, he would slaughter everyone within the area, those guilty of accusing me and innocent bystanders. But if I died…he would surely do the same. What could I do?_

"_What can I do?" I murmured aloud. I looked up towards the ceiling, to the heavens beyond. "Oh heavenly Father…what must I do?"_

_The door groaned suddenly, startling me terribly as it swung open. Two men came quickly inside, one of them holding a lantern. He hung it from a hook in the ceiling as the other knelt down in front of me. "Mistress Farenheights?"_

"_Mistress __**Tepes**__," I corrected him gently. "What is it that you want?"_

_The man looked quite frantic and fearful. He held a roll of parchment in his hand. "I'm here to grant you freedom."_

"_What?!" I was overcome with relief. "R-Really? You would give me pardon and let me go?!"_

"_Yes, absolutely," said the man earnestly. "However, the council won't let you go so easily. You must do something for us."_

"…_What?" I said again, although my tone had dropped along with my spirits._

"_Here." The man rolled out the parchment and showed me the writing upon it. "This is your confessional. If you sign it, the council will accept that you wish to pay for your sins and will allow you to live. You will be branded, of course, but you will live."_

"_I-I don't understand," I said quietly. I looked at the writing briefly and then looked at me. "B-Branded?!"_

"_You will be known as a witch for all your natural life," said the second man, standing over us. "As will any kin you have. But you will live to have a long life."_

"_I…" I looked at the parchment again. I knew that things could not be simply handed out, but branded? My name, my person, and Adrian…forever we would be witches?!_

_But…I would live. I would live and be able to go home to my husband and child. I took the parchment from the first man, who seemed to breathe out a sigh of relief. The second fiddled in his bag, looking for an inkwell and pen._

_I read the confessional carefully, and I knew from both men's demeanor that they expected me to sign it outright. It seemed as they presented it; I would confess that I was a witch and deliberately poisoned the land, as well as lain with the devil himself. It was a plea of mercy, one that they promised the council would accept._

_And then…then I saw it. Partway down the parchment I saw a list of names. Names I mostly knew and some I didn't. Twelve names, one right after the other. And at the top of the list was a very telling sentence: '__**I hereby solemnly swear, as my soul would be cleansed, that the following persons took part with me in the enticement and intercourse with demons…**__'_

_My head shot up and shock consumed me again. "W-What?! What is this?!"_

"_These people have been suspected of witchcraft for some time," the man said uneasily. "If you sign this, you will be pardoned."_

"_B-But if I sign this, then these people will be arrested!!!"_

"_They are condemned anyways, Mistress Fa—Tepes. Your confession won't hurt or help their cases."_

"_But none of this is true!!! I did not lay with the devil or demons and I'm quite certain none of these people did either!!!"_

"_Be quiet!!!" he snapped suddenly, punching the floor in frustration. "Think, you stupid woman!!! Think of all those who will suffer because of this!!!!"_

"…_What?"_

"_I know who you are," he said quickly. "And I know who your husband is. Do you have __**any**__ idea what will happen to us if you die?!?! What he will do to the land?!?! Just sign this!!!" he shoved the pen at me. "Sign it and be done with it!!!"_

_I looked down at the parchment again and looked back up at him. "If you don't want me to die, then go to the council and get me a full pardon."_

"_Don't you think we tried that?!?!" the second man cried. "They refuse to grant you clemency!!!! You__** must**__ implicate others in the guilt or they will kill you!!!"_

_Tears filled my eyes. I couldn't believe this was happening and my heart was breaking. My fingers curled around the parchment. "And what of me? What will happen when __**I **__die?! How can I look our Lord in the face and explain to Him how I let twelve people die in my place?!"_

"_Do you __**really**__ think our Lord will accept you after what you've done?!" the first man snapped. He paled and shook his head. "Forgive me, that was impudent. Never you mind about these people. There will be many more lives saved if you do this. Just sign it!!!"_

_I looked down at it again. If I signed it, I would be saved. But if I signed it, I was damned. Twelve innocent people would die, and God would never forgive me for this. But Vlad…and Adrian…_

_No. I knew in my heart what was right. It was a horrible, terrible decision to make, but it was the right one._

"_If this is the best you can do for me," I said flatly, holding back my tears as best as I could. "Then I want no part of it." I shoved the parchment and pen back into his hands. "May God help all of you."_

_He stared at me in shock for a moment. Then, rage flooded his face. "If you are so eager to die, then so be it!!! And may the devil himself welcome you with open arms for the hell you have condemned us all!!!!"_

_He jumped up and stormed from the room. The second man cried out in alarm and raced after them. I could hear them arguing loudly straight down the corridor as the door slammed shut behind them._

_And I was alone. This time I could not stop the tears and pressed my face into my knees. I curled up into a ball, letting the cold from the stone wall seep into my bones._

"_Vlad…forgive me…"_

---

"Mina?"

I opened my eyes to see Yoko staring down at me. "You made it, Yoko-san?"

"Of course I did. But you really need to work on these fainting spells." She helped me to sit up and I was aware that I was lying on one of the couches. And that Hammer had arrived as well.

"Are you feeling okay, Mina?" asked Soma. He was leaning over the back of the couch.

"Yes, I'm fine." I tried to smile at him, but I was far too disturbed by the dream I had. I looked at Arikado hesitantly. "Did she—" I faltered before I continued. "Lisa…she had the chance to escape, but chose not to."

Arikado nodded stiffly. "She was always far too kind for her own good. Perhaps that's what helped drive her to Dracula. But yes, she was offered a chance to live if other people died in her place. She refused to do this."

"I see…" I ran a hand through my hair. "Did this help fuel Dracula's hatred towards mankind? This half-hearted attempt to save her?"

"I cannot say," said Arikado. "But before that point he never bothered with humans. After she died, however, he hated them as much as he hated God, and he made it his life's goal to make both suffer for it."

"And me…" I took a deep breath and let it out. I knew there was no coincidence that I shared the memories of both Elisabetha and Lisa. But I needed somebody else to say it for me. "I'm their reincarnation as well, aren't I?"

"Yes." Arikado's answer was blunt, given the reluctance everyone had shown me up to that point.

I looked at everyone then, and they all still looked uncomfortable. My chest felt heavy. This thought had been burdening me for a while, and for someone else to acknowledge it lifted a weight off me. But, it didn't make me feel better. "Why am I only now regaining my memories?"

"Because the cycle is nearly complete." Yoko was the one who spoke this time. "Soma has been developing more and more into an unstoppable force. His memories of both Dracula and Mathias are resurfacing—"

"But I didn't know of Mathias until recently," Soma interrupted. "Is this because of Mina?!"

"Yes," said Arikado. "Up to now your subconscious has only allow you to see Dracula himself and all his evil, and has allowed you access to his powers. Because of this, Mina's memories are coming back to her."

"But wait." I slowly stood up from the couch. "Lisa didn't start remembering her life as Elisabetha until after she met Dracula. I've known Soma most of my life and only now the memories are coming to me."

"That isn't true and you know it, Mina. You've had these dreams for years, but have never thought of them. Only recently have they started to make _sense _to you."

That made sense, but the knot in my stomach only grew. "…Why is it all of you know everything?" I asked. "Why did my parents know before me? What has made you absolutely sure it was me?! I-I mean, without my dreams there's no way of knowing I'm Elisabetha and Lisa!!!!"

Silence fell over the room. I felt Soma reach for me, but he hesitated.

It was Arikado who spoke. "Because of _you_, Mina. Because of whom you are. Look back on the cycles of each life. Elisabetha, the first in this cycle, died of pestilence. Lisa is who succeed her, and what was Lisa? A _doctor_. Then Lisa was executed as a witch, and you succeed Lisa."

"But I'm a Shinto shrine maiden!!!" I argued. "What does that have to do with witchcraft?!?!"

"Nothing," said Julius. "Other than the basis of _religion_. Witchcraft was crime made by many religious sects, most notably Christianity. It was these religious beliefs that killed Lisa. Now here you are, living a life based around a religion—Shintoism, yes, but it's a religion nonetheless. The national religion of Japan, I might add, just as Catholicism was the national religion of Romania at that time."

"_So you're a shrine maiden now?"_ That was what Xenon had said to me when we first met. It never made sense, but now…

"Don't you think it's a very odd coincidence that you were born of the Hakuba line?" asked Yoko. "Born of the same blood whose shrine was the hosting site for Dracula's final battle?"

"But—"

"And Soma." Julius motioned to him. "You two are incredibly _close_ friends. Neither of you have _any_ friends that are as close to you as you are to each other. Have you ever wondered why that is?"

I looked at Soma, but he seemed just as uncomfortable as I was to dissect this evaluation. "We—"

"You _both_ ended up in the solar eclipse," pointed out Hammer. "Why was it just you two? Soma is obvious because of whom he is, but why would the eclipse pick you up to if you weren't anyone important?"

"I—"

"Most importantly," interrupted Arikado. "Is that Soma reacted with rage when the winged skeletons attacked you, and that was how he was able to initially unlock his abilities. The same thing happened when Celia threatened you just a year later."

"Of course he would," I said, though I looked at him again. He wasn't looking at me and the look on his face bothered me. "I'm his best friend!!!"

"There's more to it than that," said Julius. "And don't even deny it," he continued when Soma tried to speak up. "You displayed very telling, uncontrollable rage when Slogra attacked Mina, and later when Nancy attacked her."

I thought back to Sixx-Bit, and how Soma reacted to him. He was like a totally different person. I suddenly felt light-headed and sat back down.

"And don't forget," said Arikado. "When you thought she had died. When Celia killed her doppelganger, you very nearly gave yourself up."

"S-Soma!!!!" I shrieked, jumping back to my feet. "I-I didn't know about that!!!"

"…What do you want me to say?" he asked quietly.

"There's more the both of you need to acknowledge," said Arikado. "Mina, quite simply you're the key to his sanity."

I looked at him stunned. "What?!"

"You're the one thing that anchors Soma to his human form. You anchor him as Elisabetha anchored Mathias and as Lisa anchored Dracula. _That_ is why this cult is trying to kill you, the same way Dracula's minions conspired to kill Lisa. If you weren't here, there would be very little that could stand in Soma's way from returning to his former form."

"_What are your intentions? You had your chance and you blew it. So why are you trying now?"_

"_If she's not here, you can arise to power. Don't you want to arise to power again, Master?"_

"…_everything will just turn out the same in the end for you."_

"_You couldn't live without her even if you __tried__."_

"_Life is life, isn't it? And some things are meant to be."_

"Oh my God…" I cupped my hands to my face, trying and failing not to become hysterical. "Oh my God!!! This…" I looked at Soma with fright. "I'm so sorry!!! I'm so sorry, Soma!!!! I…" I shook my head as I choked on sobs. So it really _was_ true, all of it. It wasn't some buffer, as that Leon illusion said. Dracula's sanity and soul had always depended upon one woman…_me_.

And he lost her twice, and the entire world paid for it again and again. Oh God…what would happen if they managed to kill me? Would I just be reincarnated again to repeat these same mistakes?!?! And Soma…he nearly lost himself over an _illusion_ of me!!!! What would happen if I died right now?!?!

"So…this is how it is." Soma's voice was cold and quiet. "So long as Mina's in danger, _I'm _in danger."

"Soma—" I began.

"Correct," said Arikado.

Soma looked up suddenly and gave me a hard stare. "Stay away from me, Mina. I want one of you to take her out of here as fast as possible. I've been unable to focus up to now because I've been watching her."

"Soma, I—"

"I can feel it." Soma touched a hand to his chest. "They weren't wrong. Dracula's somewhere in my subconscious, trying to come out. I'm not safe right now, and if my biggest threat is constantly in danger, then I'm at a greater risk."

"Soma." I approached him carefully. "Soma, I—"

"Don't argue with me!!!!" he hollered suddenly and I froze in my tracks. "Leave here, Mina!!! And if you don't stay out of trouble, I will _never_ forgive you!!!"

His words tore right through me. More tears started to form, even as I tried to shield them. "Soma…I!"

"We can't leave," said Arikado calmly. "They're aware all of us are here, including Mina, and so they won't allow us to leave."

"Fine. Just stay here, Mina and don't leave!!!" Soma waved a hand. "I'll take care of this myself. Please…just somebody watch her."

"I can—" began Yoko.

"_I _will watch her," said Arikado. "Just clear a path for us as best as you can. We'll follow when the danger is minimal."

"Fine." Soma left without saying goodbye to me.

---

Everyone gradually left, and I sat there alone on the couch. Arikado took a seat on the window seat, staring out into the clouds. My emotions were all in a jumble. Soma had never yelled at me like that before. And…oh God, he must have suffered so much!!! How could I have been so thoughtless all this time?!?! I absolutely _hated_ that I anchored Soma to this world. He should have more than _me _for there to be a reason to live!!!

"Don't worry." Arikado startled me with his sudden conversation. "Soma is upset, but once he calms down he'll treat you as he normally does."

"Arikado-san…" I sniffled and wiped at my face. "Adrian."

Arikado flinched and looked at me. "Please don't call me that. That was a name I shed when I took a stand against my father."

"…I've always wondered why you've been so kind to me," I said quietly. "Was it because of Lisa?"

"…In part," said Arikado. "I was able to get to know you a lot better than I would other people because of my mother, but that's not the reason I'm protecting you, Mina. I consider you a friend, and Soma cares for you very deeply. You two are reincarnations of two sets of lovers, and yet your feelings are your own. Just as you are not the same person as Elisabetha and Lisa."

I hummed a little and dug out some tissues out of my pocket. I hated to blow my nose in front of anyone, but I was a mess. "Why _did_ you turn on your father? I mean, he was evil but he wasn't the one who killed Lisa."

"I know this," said Arikado. "But I turned on him because if I sided with him then I would've betrayed her."

"Her?"

"My mother. Right to her dying breath she had faith in mankind. My heart was broken, but I was determined to have faith in them as well. So I renounced my name and my lineage, and took up the name 'Alucard' to protect mankind from evil. Do you remember when Julius told you Trevor Belmont was the first Belmont to defeat Dracula?"

I nodded to this. "I was there beside him in that final battle, along with two others. The four of us combined defeated my father. They went on with their lives, but I knew deep down that if I had to protect mankind then I could not be with them. I knew my father wasn't dead—the Crimson Stone assured that he would never truly die—and so instead of taking my own life I used my magic to submerge myself in what I thought was an eternal sleep."

"But you're awake now."

"Yes, I am. Three hundred years later Castlevania arose again, and_ I _was forcibly pulled from my slump, the castle stood strong and nobody had challenged it. It was my task to defeat my father, once again."

"And you didn't go back to sleep?"

Arikado shifted slightly, clearly uncomfortable, but he continued. "It was my intention, but…something changed my mind."

There was more than what he was telling me, but I didn't want to pry. I plucked at my coat idly. "Arikado-san?"

"Yes?"

"I love Soma." Heat flooded my face as I said, but I forced myself to continue. I knew that Arikado wouldn't laugh at me over my feelings. "I've always loved him, and I do believe that these are _my_ feelings, not Elisabetha's and not Lisa's. But I…I just can't _stand_ that he's had to suffer all this time because of me!!! I only want him to be at peace and he can't be at peace when…" I swallowed thickly, trying to force down another sob. "I can't stand it, Arikado-san."

"It is, unfortunately, your bane as well as Soma's," said Arikado. "Both Mathias and Dracula invested everything in the women they loved. When they lost them, they lost their purpose and meaning. Soma is also very vulnerable. Like Mathias he has no family other than the friends that surround him. We all matter to him greatly, but he only cares because _you_ love him, Mina. Truthfully, he is unpredictably if you're in danger. But there is something you _must_ do for him, and for everyone once you survive this."

"What do I have to do?"

"Teach him how to live without you."

I gaped at him but he went on. "You're both humans, not immortals. You will both die as humans. Elisabetha and Lisa died prematurely, and the future is always uncertain." He looked at me directly. "Soma loves you, Mina, but he mustn't be dependent upon you so strongly again. Help him to become stronger. He might very well outlive you, and there's no telling what would happen if he lost you, even if it was to natural causes."

"T-That won't happen overnight," I said. "I-If I have to do that, that'll take me _years_!!!!"

Arikado nodded. "Exactly."

I paused, finally getting his point. I felt my cheeks turn even darker and I looked away. "H-Have you ever been in love?!" I blurted out, and instantly regretted it. Of _course _he wouldn't answer me!!!

"Yes, I have," he said bluntly, turning to look out the window.

My jaw dropped. I don't know what was more shocking; that he admitted it or that he _had_ been in love!!! "R-Really?!"

"Yes."

"U-Um…" I didn't know what to say. It wasn't my business, but… "What was she like?"

"She was a spitfire," he said, his voice neutral but his tone soft. "Very sure of herself. She had her fair share of trauma throughout her life and yet it never touched her mentally. If she wanted something done she would do it, regardless of the situation. She also…" his brow furrowed slightly. "She had a very caring nature to her. She seemed to know what I was thinking, what I was feeling…it made being around her, and in general around _people_, much easier."

I laughed a little, trying to get use to this more open side to Arikado. "I wish I could've met her."

Arikado's lips quirked up slightly to a near smile. "I'm sure you two would've gotten along just fine."

Suddenly, there was a loud pounding on the study door. "Excuse me!!!! Your two hours are up and you must give up this study room!!!"

I slowly rose back to my feet, a cold knot of fear forming in my chest. I knew that voice now. The harassing calls, and the man who visited the shrine…they were all the same person. "Xenon…"


	17. Part 17

Part 17

"Stay behind me," said Arikado in a sharp tone. I jumped from the couch without protest and ran to stand behind it. Arikado turned to face the pounding door, but only took a few steps towards it.

"What are we going to do?!" I asked, wringing my hands slightly.

Arikado didn't say anything to me. "The door's open," he called out.

The pounding stopped. I barely breathed out a sigh of relief when the door exploded off its hinges. I screamed and dove for cover behind the couch as something flew over my head.

"How do you like your accommodations…Alucard?"

I gasped and grabbed the back of the couch to pull myself up. Arikado hadn't moved at all, and he was facing off against the individual who had just come in. I recognized the dark blonde hair on his head and it was with great difficulty that I stood up straight. _Xenon…_

"…So," said Arikado, his tone neutral. "Now it all makes sense."

What makes sense?! I twisted my head a little and my heart leapt into my throat when I recognized the purple flying monster beside Xenon. I looked behind me frantically, remembering that something flew over my head. But thankfully, there were no monsters behind me.

Still, I only noticed Slogra when I turned back around.

"A fine way to treat your former adversaries," said Xenon, motioning to the two monsters.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to control Dracula's puppets easily, and so _you_ revived the ones fallen in the past," said Arikado. His stance changed, as though he were ready into lunge. "You are a Devil Forgemaster."

Xenon threw back his head and laughed loudly. "Not bad for someone who is not an immortal, hmm? It cost me _quite _a bit of magic to revive all of these fallen demons to follow me and _not_ Dracula—for the time being—but I hope you can forgive me for not accommodating you."

"W-What's a Devil Forgemaster?!" I sputtered out.

"Humans with natural abilities in the dark arts," said Arikado. His tone was curt and he kept his eyes on Xenon. "They can revive dead souls at will and force them to be their slaves. It appears this man had revived most of the demons in this castle, and that is why they freely fight Soma and you."

"B-But the monsters attacked Soma before!! Are you telling me _he_ was behind that too?!?!"

"No. Any monsters that attack Soma are either not aware of his true identity or they are being controlled." Arikado sighed heavily. "Although it appears this one lacks the creativity of previous Devil Forgemasters."

The smile left Xenon's face. "What?!?!"

"All of these monsters you have revived are creations of Dracula. Couldn't you at least have produced your own souls, or are you so far in lacking in skills that you have to copy off of other people?"

Xenon looked positively furious. Then…he relaxed. And began laughing to himself. "You really underestimate me, Alucard…"

"I just know I've fought enough of idiotic fanatics like you see you're all alike. You're strong, yes, but you'll never defeat me."

Xenon laughed again. "Oh Alucard, you misunderstand me!!! I don't want to _kill _you." But his silver eyes narrowed to two burning white holes. "That will be up to Dracula to try your treachery!!!" He thrust a hand forward. "Slogra!!! Gaibon!!!!"

Despite his words, the two demons flew at Arikado. I cried out and jumped out of the way as Arikado began to engage the two monsters. I knew Arikado was powerful, but…he wasn't even breaking a sweat!!! He was barely moving as they double-teamed him, Gaibon swatting at him and Slogra trying to stab him with a spear.

I was scared out of my mind, but the fact was actually very short. When Slogra tried to stab him again, Arikado simply yanked the spear out of his hands and stabbed Gaibon in the skull with it. I unfortunately had to move further back into the room as Gaibon's blood sprayed everything. It was so sickening to watch and my head started hurting, as though in sympathy. I had no actual sympathy for these monsters, because with or without control they were still evil.

Slogra backed away, being without its weapon and without its partner. But Arikado merely stabbed him straight through the chest and then cut his head off. I screamed again and covered my eyes. Yes, evil or not this was _not _pleasant to watch!!!

Arikado was nonchalant as he tossed aside the spear and faced off against Xenon again. "Well, that takes care of that. Now quit wasting my time."

Xenon didn't look at all fazed by the fact the monsters he summoned were defeated so effortlessly. "There are plenty more where they came from. I know you've defeated them in the past two-on-one and so I thought they would be perfect as guinea pigs."

I saw Arikado twitch slightly as he regarded Xenon. "As a Devil Forgemaster, you should at least _care_ about the demons you summon. But it appears that's just another skill you lack."

"I care for nothing and no one," said Xenon harshly. "Emotions are wasted on the weak, as is love. Look what emotions did for my Master; they produced a fine warrior in _you_, Alucard, but he grew _weak_!" Xenon glared at me then. "And yet here you are again, ready to ruin everything!!!"

"I won't let you hurt Soma!!!" I cried, although I knew I had no leg to stand on. I had no fighting skills whatsoever, and this group's ultimate goal was to kill me to trigger Dracula in Soma.

"Sometimes, pain is necessary," said Xenon harshly. He regarded Arikado with the same hard eyes. "But…thank you for showing me the truth."

"What truth?" Arikado asked blandly.

"That your powers…are still sealed."

The wall to my right exploded. I dove for cover, trying to avoid flying wood, bookshelves, book, and all the like.

"By God, can't you do anything right?!"

I stiffened and slowly looked up. Debris covered everything in this quiet little room. Arikado and Xenon were still standing, as though nothing were out of the ordinary. I looked towards the right wall, but it was no longer there. It opened wide to the rest of the library, and I could see a multitude of monsters slowly migrating towards us.

And Nancy…she was climbing down over the debris with more care than someone generally would in heeled boots.

Arikado looked at her. And paused. "Do I know you?" he asked quietly.

Nancy giggled a little, but her face still didn't budge. And it still creeped me out. "Do you?"

Purple orbs suddenly formed in the air and shot out at Arikado. He had to jump backwards to avoid them, and I scrambled across the floor. The orbs seemed only for Arikado only and none of them tried to hit me.

But then arms scooped around my waist. I screamed and began fighting against whoever held me. I thought for a minute that it might be Arikado, but he was on the other side of the room, and his calm face was suddenly full of alarm.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to escort out Guest of Honor to the Main Event!!" it was Xenon who held me, and he wasn't budging no matter how hard I fought.

"Let her go now!!!!" roared Arikado. He started towards us, but Nancy shot out another purple orb at him. He blocked the attack, but seeing Xenon moving towards the massive hole he launched a mini barrage of small demon familiars at it. But Xenon only scoffed at them and swatted them away.

Xenon laughed at Arikado and laughed at me as he teetered over the edge of the hole. "I leave Alucard to you…_Carmilla_."

"CARMILLA?!?!" Arikado shouted, and I was shaken by the alarm in his voice. I looked back at Nancy—Carmilla—but her eyes were on Arikado.

Xenon then fell backwards, and we zipped through the air with such blinding speed that everything was a blur.

---

I died of a disease, and I came back as a doctor. I was executed for religious reasons, and I came back as a priestess.

What would happen if they ripped me apart? Or crushed my body? What would I come back as then?

God, what was I even thinking?! I don't want to die!!!

I huddled close to myself, but I was shaking. The cell _was_ cold, but I was scared out of my mind. What were they doing? They wanted me dead, but they haven't killed me yet. What were they going to do?!

It was hard to think of anything else but what might happen to me. This little cell Xenon shoved me into was barely bigger than a closet. There were no windows and no furniture other than the hard bench I was curled up on. I sat there in the dark, hearing nothing but my own breathing. I couldn't even hear activity beyond the heavy door. A person could go mad from this!!!

Maybe that's what they intended. For me to go crazy and maybe even kill myself!!! No, no, I _had_ to hold on. Soma would come for me. They _all_ would come for me, but I knew Soma most of all would come. I had to live. If for nothing else than for his sake.

"_Teach him how to live without you."_

If Arikado was right—and I didn't doubt him—then Soma was still very vulnerable. If I died then nothing could stop him. I _had_ to hold on, because it would save him…and the whole world for that matter.

But what could I do? I don't even know what part of the castle this is!!! How can I stay alive when I can't even help myself?!?!

Then I heard it. The lock on the door turned. I stood up, but the dim light from the hall nearly blinded me. I shielded my face and abruptly sat back down.

"How are you holding up?"

_This_ voice got my attention, and with it came relief. "Chessa-san!!!" I dropped my hands and stood back up. Yes, it was her. She was still wearing the clothes that identified her with this cult, but kindness was in her serene face. "W-What's going on?!"

"Before I start…here." She pulled something wrapped in dark blue velvet out of her coat pocket and handed it to me. "Swallow this."

I carefully unwrapped it to reveal a tiny white orb. It looked like a pearl. "What is this?"

"It's something that might come in handy later," she said. "But you'll need to swallow it."

"Swallow it?!" I picked it up between my fingers. It was rock-hard and my stomach clenched. "I might choke on it!!"

"You won't," she assured me. "But it's no use to you unless you ingest it."

I hesitated for a long moment and looked at her. It could help me?! But…no, I really had no choice. Soma would come for me, but who knew what would happen before then. It was better safe than sorry.

I popped the pearl-like ball into my mouth and tried to swallow it. As I expected, it started blocking my esophagus. I gagged and choked and fought against it, trying to force it down as much as possible. It took several long moments before it started to move, and I could feel it all the way down, leaving my throat and passing through my chest. It was painful and uncomfortable and I hated it!!! "I never want to do that again."

"You won't have to," said Chessa bluntly.

"So…" I swallowed a few times to get that terrible clenching feeling out of my throat before I continued. "What's happened?"

"Xenon is making preparations," she said grimly. She closed the door behind her, but she held a lantern in her hands. "So it's just about time for me to drop my cover."

"Why is he keeping me in here? Why didn't he kill me outright?!"

"Because he's planning something big. I don't really know what it is, but he's a Devil Forgemaster so it could be just about anything."

"So you know," I said quietly. "Do you know about Carmilla?"

"And how Nancy is really her? Yes."

"Why didn't you just _tell_ us at the beginning?!?!" I exploded at her. "Why leave us hanging right to the very end?!"

"Because I didn't truly know," said Chessa. "I told you my work is reconnaissance. Ecclesia knew these individuals were dangerous, far more dangerous than previous cults in the past decades that have tried to revive Dracula. We had a fair idea that they had a master of dark arts, and a possible immortal on their sides, but we couldn't pinpoint them. Xenon was very tough for me to investigate because he's very secretive. He rarely goes out on his own and as a Devil Forgemaster who aided in the resurrection of Castlevania without a Master; he has an arsenal of minions to do his bidding. But because he is a Devil Forgemaster, he is human. It takes far more than the will of a human to revive the demon castle."

"…Is this where Carmilla comes in?" I asked. "Who is she?"

"I had my suspicions about her, but because she was my "boss" I couldn't properly act upon them. Carmilla is a master vampire, who has been an integral force in Dracula's resurrection in the past." She paused before she continued. "She's also believed to have been the main person feeding hatred towards Lisa, which led to her execution."

I stiffened at this, and looked at her in horror. "R-Really?!"

Chessa shrugged. "I wouldn't put it past her."

"I-I-I don't understand any of this." I rubbed a hand through my hair. "If they have something planned for me, why have they tried to kill me outright before? That winged skeleton and Boomer and Onor and Sixx-Bit…_they _certainly weren't looking to kidnap me!!!"

"Because both Xenon and Carmilla knew they wouldn't be successful," said Chessa. "They knew they couldn't simply kill you, and that somebody would come to your aid. They did this in part to test everyone surrounding you. Using these pawns, they were able to read all of you. And with Sixx-Bit…they were successful in proving that _you_ could trigger Dracula's resurrection."

"_You're here. But you're still asleep. We shall wake you up."_

'C' had written that. That _had _to have been Carmilla. It was so disgusting how they would use people of their own side as guinea pigs like that.

"While they were able to dissect everyone' motives, it cost them a bit," said Chessa. "Onor and Boomer are dead, and Sixx-Bit has flown the coop—"

"Boomer's _dead_?!" I cried. Relief and shock suddenly flooded through me.

"Yes, Soma killed him just a little while ago."

"Oh…" I leaned against the wall slightly. Boomer's horrible insane face filled my mind, but knowing he wasn't around anymore, that he couldn't hurt me…I definitely felt better.

"Are you through revealing secrets, you little snake?"

Both Chessa and I cried out. Chessa stood straight up and squared herself against Nancy—Carmilla—as the other woman simply stood in the corner.

"Well, I'm glad you let the cat out of the bag," said Carmilla. "I was getting tired of pretending not to know you were betraying us."

"You knew?!" cried Chessa, though she drew a dagger.

Carmilla laughed scornfully at her. "Of _course _I knew!!! Do you think I'm an idiot?!?! You've been snooping around the castle and into our files and feeding it to them!!! _And _you're of Ecclesia!!! Even as we must commend them for resurrecting Dracula in the past, it can't be denied that Shanoa re-formed the organization in her image!!!" Carmilla gave a toss of her head. "But, I must commend you for being so naïve. The information you gave them was only things we _allowed_ you to know!!! So you never really knew our intentions until we _told _you what they were!!!"

Chessa looked very pale at her words, but her serene face remained hard. "I won't allow you to follow through with your plans. You will leave Soma and Mina alone or I will force you to!!!"

Carmilla only laughed at her again, and something caught my eye. She somehow fought off Arikado, but her clothes were singed. And her face…that unmoving expression looked odd. I quickly realized why and my jaw dropped in horror.

Her skin was _peeling_.

Chessa lunged at Carmilla, even as she threw a blast at the heavy door, blowing it to pieces. "_Run_, Mina!!!!"

I hated to leave her alone to this, but I knew I was no use to her. I took off running out the door, and bolted down the corridor.

But…when a blast of energy hit me in the back, I should've known I wouldn't get far.

---

_It was time._

_Two men came to my cell. They said nothing to me, only pulling to my feet. I in turn said nothing to them, holding myself steady as they pulled me out of the jail and into the chilly air._

_A crowd was there to greet me. All of them were screaming viciously. Fingers jabbed into my face, my chest, and fists were shaken at me. Someone even tried to throw something at me, but it missed. I kept my head up and tried not to think. At the end of this foreboding line I could see the stake. I felt sick to my stomach._

"_Burn the witch!!!" a woman shrieked, and she tried to tug at my hair. I turned towards her and froze. I knew her. Her name had been on the list of my confession. I was about to die in order to save her life._

_I looked out over the crowd. I knew not every person mentioned on that list, but those I recognized were there in the crowd. They were __**with**__ the crowd, screaming at me and chanting. Did they not know the danger they were in? Did they not know __**they**__ were under investigation, that the very next witch execution they went to might be their own?!_

_My heart was heavy, but I was not bitter. They were thankless for my silent sacrifice, but I felt vindicated. Even if only delayed the inevitable, none of those twelve people on that list were dying today._

_Only I was._

_We reached the stake. It was still morning, but the clouds above us were charcoal black. A fierce storm was nearly upon us…and I would surely never see it. They spun me around so that I would face the mob. They tied rope around my wrists and strung me up in such a way with my arms stretched out wide. Rope was strung around my waist and I looked out over everyone. I felt like I was being crucified…but that was not the case._

"_Lisa Farenheights." It was a member of the council that had condemned me. He held a sign in his hands listing my supposed crimes, which he would string around my neck. "You have tried by your peers and found guilty of witchcraft. For creating the Scarlatina that ravaged this land—"_

_Boos and jeers followed these words, and he had to raise his hand for silence. "And for conceiving a demon child out of wedlock."_

_I would tolerate very much on this day, but not this. "He is my son and you will __**not**__ speak of him that way!!!" I snapped._

_He seemed stunned by my fire, but he recovered himself. "You are sentenced to be burned in God's cleansing fires. May he welcome your sinful soul into Heaven with divine mercy." He abruptly dropped the sign around my neck and walked away. _

_The chanting began picking up in earnest and I could feel the heat of the torch bearing down upon me. I closed my eyes and spoke aloud a prayer. __**"Pater noster, qui es in caelis: sanctificetur Nomen Tuum adveniat Regnum Tuum; fiat voluntas Tua, sicut in caelo, et in terra."**_

"_MOTHER!!!!!"_

_My eyes snapped open, and the torches stilled. I saw mass movement in the crowd in front of me, people moving aside in confusion. "That voice…" no, it couldn't be. No, this couldn't be happening!!!_

_Adrian pushed himself to the front of the crowd. His young eyes widened with horror and with a scream he tried to lung forward. A burly man grabbed him and held him fast. "Adrian…" I breathed, and for the first time I felt nauseas. "It's you."_

"_The demon child!!!" someone hollered. They all began clamoring ominously._

"_I'll save you!!!" shrieked Adrian, ignoring the angry mob around him. He fought against the man who held him, but he was still so small. He couldn't break free. "I'm coming!!!"_

_They were closing ranks around him. A wave of panic suddenly struck me. What if they burned him too?! "No, Adrian," I told him sharply. "Don't come here."_

"_But mother—"_

"_Stop!!!" one of the men shouted at the crowd clamoring for my son. I recognized him as one of the men who'd tried to make a deal with me. __**He **__surely would allow nothing to happen to my son!!!_

"_It's all right," I tried to reassure Adrian. It was with great difficulty that I kept my voice steady. "If my death can save others, then I will gladly surrender my life." I saw the man stiffen and he gave me a hard look._

"_Mother, NO!!!!!" Adrian shrieked. Silence had fallen suddenly over the crowd, and the air grew even colder than it was. "PLEASE, NO!!!!!"_

"_Yes, Adrian," I told him. I kept my voice calm, soothing. He was growing tired from the struggling and I held his gaze with mine. I knew deep down that Vlad might not recover from my death. But if I could do something…even if I meant through my own child…"Watch me die, and remember always my last words to you."_

_Adrian had stopped. He slumped in the man's arms, his body drained. "Yes, Mother." His voice was so forlorn and helpless that I wanted to cry. But I needed to be strong, even if it was for these last few moments._

"_Do not hate humans. If you cannot live with them, then at least do them no harm. For theirs is already a hard lot." It was important to me that he knew this. He was dhampir, but he had human blood in him. He could not despise his own kind. His bitterness would consume him and drive him mad._

_I could see it in his face that he didn't want to agree with me. But these were my last words to him…and he couldn't deny them. "I'll try, Mother." He choked on a painful sob. "I really will try, Mother!!!"_

_Tears finally stung my eyes. The burly man was pulling Adrian away at the discretion of the man who knew everything, but I wasn't finished. "Adrian!!!" I called out to him. "Tell your father…tell him I will love him for all eternity!!!"_

_I never got the chance to say goodbye to Vlad before. My message sounded contrite and I hated I couldn't say it to Vlad in person, but it was truly all that I could do._

_If Adrian heard me, I knew not. The mob began converging on me again, and the torches turned towards me again, and I closed my eyes to pray…_

---

My skin was on fire and my heart was pounding rapidly. I awoke with a scream of agony, seeing and hearing nothing but the crackling of woods, the smell of burning, and the feeling…oh _GOD_!!!! So horrible…I could feel it right down to my bones!!!!

"…I think Lisa died." Somehow, this calm voice ripped through my agonizing screams.

"Then the circle is complete. She has relived those two pathetic lives and is fully awake."

My vision cleared, and the pain began to fade. No…I was never really in pain. It was all mental. I wasn't really on fire.

But Lisa had been. And I…it was there. That horrible sense of loss I'd felt when Elisabetha died. Oh…how could they bear with this?! This burden was so heavily for me!!!

"Yes." Xenon's face was suddenly hovering over mine. "The burden is so heavy, Mina. To hold the spirits of two women, to be the anchor for Count Dracula." He shook his head in mock sympathy. "It's not really worth it all, is it? But, we can release you from the burden."

I said nothing to him. Tears were blinding me and I choked on sobs, but I forced myself to stay calm as I looked around the room. I gasped in horror as realization dawned upon me. This room…Lisa gave birth to Adrian in here!!! But it looked so _different_!!! Artificial light flooded the area, illuminating the dark purple stone walls. They were glossy to, but light didn't shine upon them like in the Chapel.

I was in the Castle Keep.

I realized I was lying down on a table of sorts. My arms were stretched out across the surface on both sides of me and I was bound to the table. It was just like how Lisa was bound…no, no, no, I couldn't think about it. It was far too horrible.

"Poor, poor Mina." This was Carmilla. She stood on the other side of me and she looked down at me. Her face was now even more pealed, but the dermis beneath it was chalk white!!! "You're died twice, ever so helpless. I hate to do this to you again, but…" she straightened and folded her arms over her chest. "It's necessary."

"You bitch…" I don't usually curse people, but if this woman—this _monster_—caused what happened to Lisa, then she was unredeemable.

Carmilla only laughed at the insult. "So she _does_ have fire!!!"

"Speaking of fire," said Xenon blandly. "But your disguise is in need of a tune up."

"Hmm?" Carmilla touched her face, as though she hadn't noticed the peeling. She simply shrugged at it, though. "Well, what's the use for a disguise? They know the truth now."

She suddenly dug her fingers into her skin. I cried out as she peeled the flesh straight off her face, as though she were pulling off a mask!!! And the face beneath…_this_ had to be her true form. She was still very alluring, very beautiful, but it was completely unnatural. Her flesh was chalky white, her lips were red, _blood _red, and her eyes were dark with a tinge of red. She was obviously a predator that lured victims with her beauty to a horrible death.

And she was Dracula's ally. I looked over her beauty, her perfect body, and briefly wondered if there had been more going on between her and Dracula. No…no, Dracula loved Lisa. He wouldn't want to have anything to do with this _trash_.

"I'm terribly sorry for our accommodations," said Xenon. His tone was sincere, but I knew his intentions were anything _but_. "But we're just about to start."

"What do you want from me?!?!" I screamed, struggling against the bonds. "Why would you do this to Soma?! And what do you think will happen once you kill me?!"

"Dracula will come back," said Xenon. He sighed quietly. "Of course, _you_ will come back eventually. After all, God mustn't allow his ultimate foe to have _fun_, must he? He'll send you back as many times as he can to stop Dracula."

"Then you know this is futile!!!" I shouted. "Soma might turn into Dracula, but Arikado-san and the others will stop him!!! And _I _will stop him once I'm reborn!!!!"

"…True. But…" he suddenly leaned close to me. "What if you _weren't_ reborn?"

A cold chill passed over me. "What?"

"Think about it. You've died tragically because of outer forces. And God has welcomed you back each time. But…what if He can't get your soul? What if your soul was trapped _here_? Or destroyed? Then you would _never_ come back."

I stared at him in horror. "You…you're going to destroy my _soul_?!"

"If our first plan fails," said Carmilla. "Xenon is a Devil Forgemaster, after all. He can revive dead souls to be his weapons. If we snag your soul before it reaches Heaven, then he can turn you into a mindless slave, terrorizing everyone. So even if by some impossible miracle you escape and try to get into Heaven, you will be denied."

"You…you're going to kill me, and turn me into a monster?!?!" I looked between the two of them frantically. "But…I…how are you going to explain this to Soma after he turns?!?!"

"Master needn't know the _whole_ truth," laughed Xenon.

"B-But won't he recognize ME when you send me around killing people?!?!"

"Hmm, that's true. And he might very well punish me for it." Xenon looked to Carmilla suddenly. "And you _will_ plead my case to him if he discovers this, correct?"

"Absolutely," said Carmilla. "After all, it was because of you that I live again—even though you_ did_ try to control me—but it's also because of you that we devised this full-proof plan."

"S-She might not vouch for you!!!" It was risky, but I tried to stall them. And plant doubt. "He might kill you anyways!!! Once Dracula revives, what use will she have for you?!?! None!!!!"

Xenon looked at me for a long moment. And for that moment, I thought I might've gotten through to him.

Then…"If all of that truly happens, it doesn't matter. My Master will be revived by then, and there will be _nobody _to stop him. Not his son and not you. So…it will all be worth it."

He was willing to _die_ by Dracula's wrath over this?!?! "Y-You're crazy!!!" I screamed.

"No, just resourceful. And realistic. So long as God shall exist, so shall Dracula. Once he is revived, the entire world will be thrown in a chaos unimaginable to his past reign of terror." He smiled coldly at me. "_We _shall make sure of it."

"Are you ready?" Carmilla cut in. "They're coming."

"Yes." Xenon raised a right hand over my body. "I'll ask that you hold still, because this is going to hurt. Would you like a gag to bite down on?"

I closed my eyes, not wanting to see what he would do. _Soma…Soma!!!_

A loud explosion rocked the room and filled the air. Relief flooded through me so sharply that it caught my breath. I opened my eyes to see the room filled with a dust cloud.

"Kill her now!!!!" snapped Carmilla, rushing towards the root of the explosion.

But it wasn't nearly done. Blasts of energy shot through the air, and Xenon was forced to defend himself. As he jumped away from me, someone rushed to my side. "Don't worry, Mina, I've got you!!!"

It was Soma. With a well-direct blast of energy he disintegrated my ties and pulled me into a sitting position. "Are you all right?!"

I stared at him mutely for a minute. I remember how cold he'd been to me the last time we saw each other, but I knew it didn't matter. Before I could stop myself I lunged forward, pressing a kiss onto his mouth.

He was stunned by this, as was I, but something in me told me not to hesitate. I broke the awkward kiss and hugged him tightly. "Oh, Soma…" I still hesitated before I finished. "I love you!!!"

He stiffened in my arms, but it didn't stop him from hugging me back. "Mina…" He gently pulled me off the table. "I—"

A burst of energy narrowly missed us. He let me go and turned around. "Stay here!!!" He cast Final Guard on me and ran into the dust fog.

I stared after him, a little stunned and shaken. I did it…I'd held it in for the most part all these years, but I told him my feelings. And now…so _much_ was going on. And Elisabetha and Lisa…those poor women.

But everyone was here; I could feel it. And Xenon and Carmilla were all on their own, their "guinea pigs" dead. We could defeat them. We _will _defeat them!!!

A scream behind me was my only warning. A fist grabbed my hair by its scalp. I was jerked violently downwards and my world exploded in stars as that fist smashed my head into the table.

"It must be done!!! I cannot stand it any longer!!!" My vision swam, but I recognized Carmilla's face inches from my own. "You MUST DIE!!!!!"

"_Soma_!!!!!" I screamed. I barely got his name out before pain ripped across my abdomen. I tried to scream again, but suddenly I felt like I was choking. Then…blood. I tasted it in my mouth and with a violent cough it spilled out, over my chin and even over Carmilla's pale, triumphant face.

"MINA!!!!!"

Whatever she stabbed me with, she wasn't done with it. I could feel my hands come up in a feeble defense, but I couldn't stop her. She pulled it out of my torso, only to drive it back in several times more. The strength left me, and this knife…this _thing_ twisted all inside of me and the pain…

A body slammed into Carmilla. I saw a blur of black hair and knew it was Arikado. My knees failed me and I collapse, coughing and gagging uncontrollably on my own blood. My body fell against something warm, and I was gently lowered to the ground. I saw a face before my vision, and it was twisted in pain, grief, and shock. _Soma…_

I couldn't say his name. I couldn't move. I could only lie there and stare up at him as he held me tightly to him. Others began to surround me, but I wasn't aware of them. I was aware of nothing, but the pain…and Soma…

I didn't really know for a few more seconds. When sound began to fade and all my senses began to fade. Soma held me close, spoke to very quickly. But I couldn't understand.

When the darkness came, I knew I was about to die.


	18. Part 18

Part 18

_This was my first time taking the train all by myself. I love trains!!!_

_The ticket vendor gave me a funny look when I showed him my pass, but he said nothing. I skipped along the station, smiling at people who stared at me. Mama had told me to be wary of strangers, but they all seemed like nice people to me!!_

_I stopped behind the yellow line with everyone else. I wasn't the least bit nervous, but I was a little disappointed that my very first train adventure like this had to be because of __**school**__. Because my first-grade class was assigned summer homework and part of it included me reading a book that wasn't found at my local library. It was farther away, and Mama and Papa were busy, and so I had to go alone._

_I still had time to complete the assignments. But Mama insisted I had to do the homework right now, and so I __**had**__ to do it!!! What kind of fun summer is this suppose to be?!_

_Something caught my eye. Well…some__**one**__ did. Down the line of people waiting for the train, I saw a familiar head of silver hair. I got excited all of a sudden. It was the new kid!! Well…not really a new kid. He'd transferred from Europe in April as a foreign exchange student, and it was now June, and he wasn't in my class. But everyone always talked about him!! Maybe I could talk __**to**__ him?_

_The train had arrived, but I ran down the platform so I could be on the same train as him. Unfortunately quite a few people were getting on the train, and it quickly filled. My heart sank as I entered the car and saw nearly every seat filled. But…there!! There he was, on the far side of the train!!! And nobody was sitting next to him!! Nobody was __**standing**__ next to him either, but that only left more room for me._

_I hurried over and took the seat just as the alarm buzzed that the train was going to close. He didn't react whatsoever to my approach. As the train began to move, I knew __**I **__would have to make the first move. "Hello."_

_He didn't respond to me. I stared at him blankly for a moment before I tried again. "We go to the same school, don't we?"_

_He still remained silent, but…his eyes. They stopped looking at the floor and slid over to me. It was cold gaze that was full of annoyance. I was annoying him? I knew I had to stop or he would yell at me, but I couldn't. "Do you have a book assignment to do, too? We can go together, then."_

"…_No, thanks," he said coldly. It was a negative response, but he still spoke to me!!! I'd heard rumors he didn't talk much, although when teachers called upon him he always answered correctly._

"_Well, why not?" I wasn't really offended by his words and so I didn't act like I was. "We're both going to the library, aren't we? I have to read 'Minna no Kao' and make my picture book alternate ending. Do you have to read 'Minna no Kao'?"_

"…'_Mimizu no Fushigi'," he said, his tone cold and reluctant._

"_Oh, I've read that book!!!" I said happily. Yay, now I had a reason to continue talking to him!!! "It's a pretty fun read!!!"_

"…_It's about earthworms," he responded disinterestedly._

"_Well, not really," I said. "It's about poop."_

_He looked at me fully, his expression blank. "What?"_

"_Earthworm poop," I explained to him. "It's all about what earthworms eat and how you can tell what are their eggs and what's their poop."_

_He was silent for a long moment. "I have to make a picture book about __**worm poop**__?!?!"_

"_With an alternate ending," I reminded him. "Maybe you can draw a worm laying a poop that looks like eggs!!!"_

_He continued to stare at me. Suddenly, he began to shake. It startled me a little, but then he burst out laughing. __**This **__startled me a lot more. The few times I'd seen him before I'd never seen him laugh._

"_You sound like you're more into the book than me!!!" he sputtered, wiping at his eyes. "C-Can you help me read it, then?"_

_Glee bubbled through me and I positively smiled at him. "Sure!!!"_

_We reached our stop. We got off the train and left the station. He didn't seem to know where he was going, so I had to direct him towards the library. Wow, this was a really great day!! I met the new kid and now we were hanging out together!!!_

_As we walked down the street though, I could smell something. My stomach growled and I smiled at him. "Takoyaki!!!"_

"_What?" he asked, but I dashed off, leaving him to run after me. I found the takoyaki stand very quickly. I wanted to get some, but then I saw the price. 500 yen? But that was all Mama gave me!!!_

_I looked at him as he walked up. He looked mildly curious by the stand. "What's takoyaki?"_

"_Fried octopus balls," I told him. I laughed when his face twisted up in disgust. "Aw, don't be like that!!! It's really good!!!" I wanted to buy candy with the money, but I decided that treating him to this was a lot more important. I paid the lady and within minutes I had a small container of 12 octopus balls._

"_I hope you enjoy them," he said blandly._

"_Oh, but you must try it!!! It's really good!!!"I opened the steaming container and plucked one out with a toothpick. I held it out to him. "Here, have a bite!!!"_

_He quickly shook his head. "I don't want to eat octopus."_

"_But it's really good!!! Just close your eyes and take a bite!!!"_

_He still looked reluctant, but he also saw I wasn't going to budge on this. He squeezed his eyes shut and grabbed the ball with his teeth. I watched him chew it slowly, almost fearfully for a long moment before he swallowed. He opened his eyes and looked at me curiously. "It takes like calamari…and scallops."_

_I smiled and jabbed the toothpick into another ball, shoving it into my mouth. "You see, it's not so bad!!!"_

_He shrugged stiffly. "Well, thanks Hakuba."_

_I stilled and stared at him. "You know my name?"_

"_Yeah, sure. Do you know mine?"_

"_Soma Cruz," I told him. "And I'm glad you like it, Cruz-kun."_

_He waved a hand. "No, just call me Soma. I'm not use to people calling me by my last name."_

_I giggled and smiled at him. "Okay, Soma…and you can call __**me**__ by __**my **__first name too!!!"_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Yep, absolutely!!!"_

_He was silent again. But then…he seemed relaxed. And he nodded to me. "All right, then…Mina."_

---

I opened my eyes and saw white. I felt nothing and could hear nothing.

I slowly sat up and looked down at myself. I wasn't injured anymore, and my clothes were still intact. Did Arikado or someone heal me? But then where were they? And where was I? I could see nothing but white!!!

"How are you feeling?"

I stiffened at this voice. I thought I'd been alone, but…and _this_ voice in particular…

I turned around and gaped. "You…"

"You're had a very trying experience, it seems." It was Elisabetha. I was seeing her face-to-face, as a separate person and not through the same eyes!!! "I'm sorry it came to this."

"I…" I looked her over. She was dressed in a white, shapeless gown, her long auburn hair standing out sharply against it. She didn't look as pale and frail as she did when she died. "What happened?"

"Do you remember what happened?"

"…Carmilla stabbed me, or something." I pressed a hand over my stomach. "She hurt me terribly."

Elisabetha walked over to me and slowly sat down, her skirt swooping around her. "Mina…you died a few minutes ago."

"WHAT?!?!" I screamed, staring at her in horror. "I _DIED_?!?! But…I _CAN'T _DIE!!!! Oh, my God!!!!" Tears were filling my eyes and I started shaking. No…no, I _couldn't _have died!!!! I'm only twenty-one!!! You're not supposed to die so young!!! Mom and Dad…oh, I was never going to see them again!!!

I thought of Soma, and my body clenched in pain. I died in his arms…and everyone kept emphasizing how fragile his hold over Dracula was. And I…oh God, what was happening now?!?!

"Soma has allowed Dracula to overtake him," said Elisabetha. I cried out in alarm, not wanting it to be true. Her tone was so sad, and her beautiful face twisted up in pain. "Your allies now have their hands full trying to get through to him _and_ fight off those who resurrected him. Although…he is not so accommodating of his allies now."

"W-What do you mean?!" the tears were coming easily now and I couldn't stop them.

"He killed Carmilla the moment he turned. And he's attacking everyone in discriminatorily, including the Devil Forgemaster."

"I…" I looked down at myself again. "Then Xenon must have me then."

"No, he didn't take your soul. You would not be here if that was the case."

"R-Really?!" I could've died of relief. I wouldn't be turned into a monster then!!! But Soma…with or without a saved soul, I still died. I would never be with the people I loved again. My parents, Arikado, Yoko, Hammer, Julius, and most of all Soma. Soma, who turned towards evil once again…all because of me.

I snorted in bitterness and wrung my hands together. "I wonder what God will send me back as this time." My tone was cold, numb. "Or even how long it will take him this time."

"Mina—"

"Carmilla practically gutted me. Maybe I'll be a _surgeon_ next time?!"

"…I'm a doctor."

This was a new voice. I whipped my head around to see someone new sitting down next to me. "Lisa…"

"You have come full circle," said Lisa. She was dressed the same as Elisabetha, though her blonde hair stood out almost blindingly against the white. "You remember fully both of our lives. Moreover, you love and accept Soma, and have already taught him to love and accept others."

"But what difference does it make?!" I snapped, tears once again building in my eyes. "I _died_!!!! I'm dead, and Soma turned to evil because of that!!! Even if I _can _come back for him, it won't happen overnight!!! Oh…" I buried my face into my hands. "How long will he have to suffer all over again?! And mankind…oh, the suffering will resurface for the world!!! I should've been more careful!!! I should've stayed home like they told me to!!! This never would've happened if I'd just _listened_!!!!"

"…Mina," said Elisabetha quietly.

I didn't answer her. My misery was overpowering me to the point I could barely breathe.

She continued without prompt. "You aren't completely dead."

It was amazing how quickly tears could dry up. I looked up and stared at her. "What?"

"You died, yes, and your soul has left your body. But you aren't completely dead."

"I-I-I don't understand."

"Do you remember the little ball Chessa gave you to swallow?" asked Lisa. "It's a very old enchantment, which anchors the soul to the body. You are still tied to your body and won't be separated from it."

"So…I'm not really dead?!" I could've died from relief…if for the fact I wasn't already dead. "Why didn't you just _tell_ me this before?!?! And why am I even here?!"

"Because the charm has to be activated," said Elisabetha. "In addition, your body needs to be healed. If you return to your body as you left it, you might become traumatized and die again."

"T-Then that charm will still anchor me?"

But Lisa shook her head. "This spell is a true defiance of death; what Dracula has sought all these years. But it can only be used once on a body. If you die again, even if you take the charm inside you again, it won't work. Right now they're distracted by Soma, and so they haven't had time to heal you and so Chessa hasn't been able to activate the charm."

"Oh…" I wasn't really dead. But Soma obviously didn't know about this. "Will he return to normal once they revive me?"

Both Elisabetha and Lisa looked uncomfortable at this, and that in turn made _me_ uncomfortable. "It's…hard to say," said Elisabetha.

"How so?"

"Mathias always had a fragile spirit," said Lisa sagely. "When he loved, he would think of little else. Losing the both of us—_us_ in general—twice and now three times, has been very traumatizing. In addition to blaming outer sources for our deaths, he feels losing us is only an indicator of his worthlessness. Because he loves us, and because he keeps losing us, it takes him a long time to recover. Even if you are revived, we fear that seeing you alive by somebody else will only remind him that he feels he fails us."

"So me just being alive won't be enough." I looked between the two of them. "But I already told him I love him. How else can I get through to him?"

"Be yourself and face him without fear," said Elisabetha. "Look at the man he is, not the monster he's become."

I shrugged at this. "That shouldn't be difficult. I've never associated Dracula's crimes with Soma."

"It might be difficult when you see the form he's taken," said Lisa. "Dracula can shape shift into many forms. While within such a monstrous form he might not recognize you. He may attack you, and you will die again."

If I died again, then everything we've worked up to this point—everything _I've _done for Soma—would all be worthless. But he was my best friend and I loved him. I couldn't abandon him, especially now. "I'm willing to take the risk. I'll get through to Soma; I swear I will."

Both women smiled at him. I knew that they suffered with the knowledge of their indirect hand in Dracula's thirst for revenge against everything. But if I could do something…then this cycle of death would stop. And Soma and I could have a normal life…

Suddenly, I felt a tug on my navel. I gasped and pressed a hand there. "W-What?!"

"Chessa must have activated the charm," said Lisa. "You're going back now."

"Remember what you must do," said Elisabetha. She took hold of my hand. "Stop him anyway you can. Most of all…make him a whole person again."

"And Mina." Lisa took hold of my other hand. Her eyes were filled with sadness. "Adrian…tell my son I'm proud of him."

I closed my eyes as that tugging sensation increased. "I will." And I meant it, to both women.

---

"…NOW!!!!"

My eyes snapped open. I was awake in that other place, but this was so much different. A wheezing gasp tore out of me and my body arched. I could feel everything come to life again in my body; my organs, my blood, everything. Feeling was returning to my limbs and my body shook with light tremors.

"I don't believe it!!! It worked!!!"

The initial shock of my revival faded quickly. I blinked several times and lay there, staring up at the two women who stared down at me.

"Mina…how are you feeling?" asked Yoko cautiously.

I didn't know. My heart rate began to calm very slowly, but my hand still shook when I raised it to my stomach. I was no longer bleeding, and the wound was gone. But, I was still very sore. "…Alive." It was the only thing I could think of because it was the truth.

I was _alive_!!!

"I'm so happy it worked." _This _voice brought a smile to my face as I was pulled into a sitting position. I looked at Chessa, who looked a little worse for wear but was smiling. "I didn't know if the charm had time to take root, but it looks like it did."

I leaned towards her, embracing her awkwardly with my still numb body. "Thank you so much, Chessa-san!!! You saved my life!!!"

"Dracula cannot return," said Chessa sagely. "No matter what, we must keep the world safe. Plus, you're a very nice person, Mina. You don't deserve to die like this."

"Tha—"

A loud explosion ripped through the wall behind us and a light cloud of dust and debris began settling over the room.

"…It looks like they're having no luck," said Yoko, her tone grim. She turned back to me. "Soma—"

"Turned into Dracula." When both women looked at me surprised, I simply shrugged. "I had an out-of-body experience and met Elisabetha and Lisa. They told me the whole situation."

"…You really _have_ come full circle," said Chessa, her tone full of awe. "Most reincarnated individual never remember full details of their past lives, but you do!!!"

"But yes, Soma did turn," said Yoko. "Even knowing you were coming back to us didn't deter him. We're going to have to proceed with caution."

Both Yoko and Chessa helped me to my feet. I could barely walk and had to lean on Yoko to keep myself steady. I could hear shouting, and a hideous growl. There was another loud explosion and Castlevania seemed to shake to the very core of its foundation.

"Well if they're not careful, they won't need to kill Dracula to make the castle go away," said Chessa. She looked at me. "We'd better hurry."

Yoko and Chessa pulled me through the thick, dusty air towards the sound of fighting. It thankfully wasn't very far away, but debris littered the floor. One whole outer wall was missing, and a full moon's light illuminated the room.

Then…I saw Soma.

I cried out, stopping dead in my tracks. He looked like some sort of hybrid monster, part human and part…something else. His head, his middle, and his legs were still the same. But his right arm had grown massively big, bigger than his whole body, and it was purple and scaly. His eyes blazed red; hateful and evil. He snarled gutturally, his mouth full of razor sharp teeth. His other hand was bubbling strangely, but it worked well enough to shoot out giant fire balls at Arikado, Julius, and Hammer.

_I _did that to him. It was such a sickening thought, but I knew it was the truth.

Xenon watched all of this plainly from a ledge above our heads. He spotted me quickly and shock registered on his face. "So you're alive? But it's too late now."

"Arikado!!!!" shouted Yoko.

Soma turned towards us. He didn't hesitate; he swung his massive right arm at us. Chessa shoved me out of the way and Yoko jumped aside, all of us barely missing it.

"You see?" Xenon called down to us unhelpfully. "Dracula is too far gone now. Even with his fragile state of mind, he sees through your plans. None of you can save him now. Not even _you_, Milady."

Chessa sat up and quickly stood, taking a fighting stance. I however simply laid there for a moment, trying to digest what just happened. Soma _attacked_ me. They'd warned me this would happen, but it was still shocking. He attacked me and intended to kill me!!! He probably still does!!! How could I possibly get through to him?!?!

A shadow fell over me and I screamed as I was picked up right off the ground and set on my feet. "None of that. Soma needs you now."

"Arikado-san…" I looked at him, and then looked back at Soma, who was currently engaged with Julius. He was still fighting indiscriminately, attacking his friends without pause. And it was infuriating to see Xenon standing above us, watching this horrible mess he helped to create.

"I…have an idea," he said suddenly. "But it's risky. Too risky perhaps to even try. But we've been fighting him for a long time, and his physical condition is deteriorating. Soma's soul has retreated far into that deformed body, and Dracula has arisen again. But the trauma of losing you for a third time was too much for him to handle; his mind had shattered and so he continues to mutate mindlessly. It's also because of this that he just attacked you."

"I'll do it," I told him. "I don't care how dangerous your idea is, I'll do it. I'll do anything to save Soma!!!"

"…That's what I was afraid of," said Arikado. "But it also looks like we have no choice."

"What do you intend to do?" asked Yoko.

Arikado didn't respond for a very long moment. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I will unseal my powers."

"_What_?!?!" I couldn't help but jump at Chessa's cry. She rounded upon Arikado, her eyes filled with fright. "But those powers you sealed…they parallel Dracula's sheer strength!!! If you restore yourself, Dracula's power _will_ once again seize the world!!!"

"If I do nothing, _he _will seize the world." Arikado motioned to Soma. "I can still feel him; it's not too late yet. But I cannot reach him as I am now. But if I use my unrestrained power, and use Mina as my anchor, we might be able to save his soul."

"AAAARGH!!!!" Soma warped scream of pain ripped through the air as Julius landed a devastating blow upon his body. Red blood shot out, spraying the walls and the floor.

"JULIUS-SAN, DON'T KILL HIM!!!!!" I screamed. I tried to run forward, but Arikado forcibly restrained me. "Please, let me help!!!"

Julius looked at me and I stilled. His face was void of emotion, hard and set in stone. "Dracula has arisen, Mina. It is my duty as a Belmont to stop him while he's weak."

"But you CAN'T!!!!" I tried to pull myself out of Arikado's arms, but he held me fast. "Tell him!!!! Tell him we can save him!!!!"

"There's no true guarantee, Mina," said Arikado. "Only that we try. Soma is weakened now, so we have a chance."

Hammer suddenly opened fire on the ledge Xenon was standing on. "HEY!!!!! Don't try and exclude yourself from all the FUN!!!!"

Xenon dodged the bullets easily. "My Master is doing just fine on his own. I'm fine being—"

Soma's big arm shot out suddenly and wrapped around Xenon's body. The Devil Forgemaster froze and immediately began to struggle. "Master, what are you doing?!?!"

Soma said nothing, his breathing heavy and inhuman, and blood dripping from his gaping mouth. Then…he laughed.

Xenon's face froze in absolute terror. "N-No!!! No, you CAN'T!!!!"

Soma abruptly squeezed his hand. A loud, horrible 'crunch' filled the air as Xenon's body was crushed in his fist. I covered my eyes and looked away, but I couldn't stop crying, even as I heard a loud 'swoosh'.

"H-He absorbed his soul!!!" I heard Yoko cry. "H-He's healing!!!!"

"Now he has the Devil Forgemaster's abilities!!!" cried Chessa. "He will summon a massive legion of demons here!!!"

"Mina." Arikado grabbed my wrist in his hand. "Now. We _must _do this now!!! Be strong and face him without fear!!!"

I tried to calm down, but that crunching noise of bone and flesh rattled in my ears. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that giant fist let Xenon's body go, but I quickly looked away so I wouldn't see it. I heard Hammer yell in disgust, and that was enough for me.

"Cover us!!!" Arikado shouted at the others, pulling me behind him as he advanced upon the monster Soma had become. Soma shot a fireball at us, but Arikado simply waved his hand and the fireball met with an invisible shield.

"What can I do?!" I asked him. It was so hard to speak. Even if we reached Soma, how would he be once we pulled him out?! Would he even _want_ to come out, knowing he gave into evil?!

"Just talk to him," said Arikado. "I'll do the rest."

He suddenly shifted positions so that he was standing directly behind me. He began chanting in a low voice in a language I didn't know. His hands were on my shoulders and we inched forward together.

Soma growled at us, swinging his now bloody arm at us. Hammer began firing his gun at it, and I tried not to wince at the bullet holes alongside the limb. But it worked; Soma changed direction and swung that fist at Hammer.

Arikado said a single foreign word very distinctly, and a white pulse of energy whipped around us. "Go, Mina. Talk to him and reach for him. I'll seek out his soul through you."

I turned to face him, to thank him, but I paused. He still looked very much the same, although his face was strained, but his jet-black hair was lightening from black to slate gray. "Arikado-san?"

"Go," he nearly snapped at me. "I'm about to lift the seal completely. I haven't used my full power in a very long time, and I'll need to concentrate on you both. So concentrate on him!!!"

"…All right," I said, turning back around. I remember then what Lisa had said to me. I knew I had to tell him right then, especially if this plan didn't work. "Adrian." I deliberately used his birth name, even though I knew it would upset him. "Lisa wanted you to know she's proud of you."

Arikado said nothing to me for a long moment. I wish I was still facing him to see his face, but I knew I needed a verbal response. "…Thank you." his voice wasn't calm. It held strong emotions to it, and…it sounded so heartbreaking.

I focused on Soma and walked towards him, feeling Arikado's power surging through me. "Soma. I'm coming for you. I'll save you, I swear I will!!!"

Soma roared and shot another fireball at me. Yoko hit it with a fireball of her own, and the two hit the wall beside me. I didn't even flinch.

"Soma…even you, Dracula. I know you are angry and you have a right to be. You've been hurt so _much_, and all you wanted to do was to be with the woman you loved. Elisabetha, Lisa…and now me.

"But I'm still here, aren't I? I-I mean, I died for a couple of minutes, but I didn't leave you. I'm right _here_, Soma. You don't need to be angry or feel like a failure, because you're anything but."

He swung his fist at my head. Chessa threw some spells of her own at him, hitting him directly and causing him to fall heavily to his knees.

"You're wonderful, Soma, absolutely wonderful. And I don't mean through the powers you have. You're so kind and giving and so incredibly _brave_. You help others unconditionally, and you ask for nothing in return.

"We've known each other for so long. Not just through our current lives, but for almost a thousand years. I love you, Soma. I've always loved you and I want to be with you always."

I wasn't thinking of any embarrassment of spilling my heart out to him in front of everyone. I wasn't even afraid that he still might kill me. I just knew he was suffering, he was ALWAYS suffering, and I didn't want him to suffer anymore.

I managed to get close enough to stand over him. He wasn't looking at me, and his breathing was still so heavy. He sounded so tired… "I've chosen you, Soma, and not because fate has made us always be together. I don't care about the past. To me, you are Soma Cruz, that shy quiet boy I first came to know as a child. And this…I know this isn't the real you. I know you're hurting so terribly now, and it's my fault. So let me…let _us_ help you. Please…come back to me."

I reached out and hesitantly touched his mutated shoulder. A hot ripple of lightning seemed to strike my body. I gasped and arched my back, seeing this white energy and knowing it was Arikado who was doing it. Arikado…who unsealed his full power to save the world…but most of all Soma.

I couldn't see anything but the light for several minutes. Then…the world grew dim, and I couldn't see anything or anyone. What happened? Did Arikado's plan work? I could feel his power surging through me and I knew then what was happening. Soma…this was his subconscious. Arikado used his magic to send me into his subconscious and find his soul. Now I HAD to find him!!!

It seemed like forever, though. This place was so empty. I would hate to be here, but I knew Soma had voluntarily done it. It was his penance for letting me die.

But I was alive. And I wouldn't lose him.

I just didn't want to lose myself. I wandered aimlessly in this horrible, quiet emptiness before I saw anything. It was a tiny, huddled form sitting down, knees curled up to the face. He illuminated such a bright light in this darkness and I sighed in relief, knowing it was him. "Soma."

Soma flinched, and then raised his head. I sucked in a breath and faltered. It was definitely Soma, but not quite. This Soma looked like he was at least thirteen. Tears streaked his pale face and his pale eyes were puffy and swelling from excessive crying.

"Mina…" oh, he sounded so _sad_!!! Tears leapt into my own eyes. "You torment me here? Isn't it enough that I killed you?"

"Soma, you didn't kill me," I told him. I walked over and sat down, but he flinched away. "I'm still alive."

"No, you're not!!!" he wailed. "You died in my arms!!! I felt your heart stop!!! I felt your soul leave!!! I felt…" he began sobbing harder, scrubbing at his face furiously. "You're dead!!! You're dead and I'm gone too!!! I couldn't even keep my promise, Mina!!!!"

"…I don't blame you," I said quietly. "You've been under so much stress—"

"I'm EVIL!!!!! I'm evil and I'm going to destroy the world!!!! _I'M _doing it!!! How can you bear to be beside me?!?!"

"Because I love you. And I know you can be saved."

"No, I can't!!! I chose the dark path!!! There's no turning back now!!!"

"Then why am I here? How were Arikado-san and I able to find you? If there's really no hope for you, then your soul would be gone. It would be evil." I reached over and touched his back. He flinched again, but this time he didn't move away. "Everything's going to be fine, Soma. I'm here with you, as I always will be. We're all here with you and we want to help you. Don't you want help?"

"…I don't deserve help." Soma had stopped crying, but his voice was so forlorn. He looked at me with helpless eyes. "I let you _die_, Mina. Again!!! How can you love me when I let you die?!?!"

"It wasn't your fault, Soma. And you tried; you've been trying so hard to make up for crimes that aren't even your fault. I'm so proud of you, we all are. But all of that will be for nothing if you stay here."

Soma stared at me for a long moment. "I don't deserve a second chance. I chose evil—"

"Now you can choose good. And you can return to us again. Don't you want to?"

"I…" Soma looked away, tears once again filling his eyes. "Yes. I want to be a good person…"

I smiled at him and stood. "You already are, Soma." I held out my hand to him. "Let's go home."

He looked up at me as though in awe. "…Mina?"

"What is it?"

He smiled slightly and his cheeks turned red. "I love you, too."

Before I could respond, he took hold of my hand. And the both of us became shrouded in light.

---

The next chapter will be the final chapter. Stay tuned!!


	19. Part 19

Well, it's been another long, fun ride. I want to thank everyone for all the good reviews and sticking with this fanfic despite my lack of updates. I hope you enjoy this last chapter.

Part 19

I felt a horrible jolt as I came back into my own body. Soma slammed against me, and I almost didn't have the strength to catch him. We sank to the floor together, his breathing heavy and uneven. I held onto him, pressing his face into the side of my neck as I looked him over. His arms no longer looked mutated, but his clothes were a mess.

But…he was back. I just knew he was!!!

"Mina…" he mumbled into my neck. I leaned away slightly and looked into his face. God, he looked so tired!!! And probably not just because of all the fighting he did. "I'm so sorry…"

"You don't need to apologize," I told him, cupping his cheek in my palm. "I don't blame you." I looked over my shoulder at Julius. "He's all right, yes?"

"…Yes," said Julius. He wound up the Vampire Killer and attached it to his belt. "I do what I must to protect the world, Mina. I like Soma, but if I have to kill him to prevent a catastrophe, don't think I won't."

"I understand," said Soma. He sat up straighter with some difficulty and looked at Julius. "Thank you for that. But have I ever told you that whip packs a hell of a punch?"

Julius snorted with amusement. "Yeah you did, about four years ago."

"Guys?!" Yoko shouted suddenly.

I turned around completely and gasped. A figure was kneeling on the floor not too far away. Silver hair pooled around his bent head, and fingers dug into his own shoulders tightly. White energy swirled around him like mist, though it was crackling like embers in a fire. "What…" realization dawned upon me and I stood up. "_Arikado-san_?!?!"

"…I can't," he grunted, his teeth clenched. "The seal…I can't maintain it!!!"

"Hang on, I'll throw a seal on you!!!" cried Chessa. She stood over him and began chanting.

But Arikado shook his head. "No, it won't work!!! It has to be by a power of Dracula to reseal myself!!! But Castlevania cannot sense Dracula anymore…it's trying to call to ME to be the Master!!!"

"But if you're the Master, it'll never disappear!!!" cried Soma. He struggled to his feet, and I helped him up the rest of the way. "Not unless…" he trailed off and fear flooded his face.

"Not unless what?!?!" I cried, looking between the two of them.

Arikado lurched, almost pitching forward as the energy pulsated around him. "…You have to kill me," he said.

"_Kill you_?!?!" cried Hammer. "But we can't!!!"

"Banishing Dracula vicariously cost me a great deal of energy. I have very little left to fight off this call. I won't be able to do it for very much longer. You…" he grunted, clutching at himself tighter. "Soma. It's up to you. Only you can reseal me. Otherwise you have to kill me!!!"

Soma looked aghast at this. "B-But I've never done anything like this before!!! I don't even know where to start the spell!!"

"I can guide you. But I don't—" the energy crackled again. I realized it was starting to change color. The white was fading to a shade of gray. "Now. You must do it now or I'll be lost!!!!"

I looked at Soma quickly. "You can do it. I believe in you. I'll help Arikado-san guide you."

"You can do that?" asked Soma, though his tone was hopeful.

I smiled at him. "I'm a Shinto Shrine maiden, remember? I've helped Dad banish evil presences before. This should be no problem."

"But what if you—"

"Arikado-san has helped us greatly. And…well, he _is_ our son." I could feel myself blushing as I said it, and Soma's pale cheeks turned red as well. "We can't leave him like this."

Soma was silent for a long moment before he nodded. "I'll try. Hang on Arikado, I'll save you."

"We should set up a perimeter!!!" said Yoko suddenly. "Just in case the seal doesn't work!! Here, let's form a quadrangle around them!!!"

Yoko, Hammer, Chessa, and Julius ran to get into position at four-corners around us as Soma and I walked towards Arikado. His hold on control seemed to be slipping more and more as the second ticked by, and the color of the energy became darker and darker. We had to hurry, otherwise we couldn't save him.

But I knew that we could. He'd done so much to save us. And now…now I knew who he was, and what we were to him. He was really Lisa's son, but _I_ was Lisa. I wouldn't leave him to face this alone, and neither would Soma.

Soma knelt in front of him. His fingers made the formation of a Shinto prayer. Arikado whispered to him; he seemed to only have the energy to do so now. Soma began chanting aloud, his brows knitted in deep concentration. I couldn't understand what he was saying, but it sounded similar to the spell Arikado had chanted to unseal himself.

I knelt down beside him and withdrew prayer beads from my pants pocket. I made the signs for Shinto prayer as well. I didn't know what sort of good I could do, but I wanted to help somehow. "_**Spirits of purification, created for order and the mother that they inhabit the Sky, exactly as when, The God Izanagi no Mikoto bathed in the narrow estuary, of a covered river with trees, permanently leafy. With all the respect from the depth of our hearts, We ask that they hear us, such as the spirit that hears our intent, with sharpened ears, together with Spirits of the Sky and the Land, Take the badness's, disasters, sins and purify all. Miroku Oomikami, You bless us and protect us. Meishu Sama, You bless us and protect us. For expansion of our soul, And the fulfillment of your will!**_"

Soma continued to chant, and the others around us chanted. I knew not what Arikado's state was because I was concentrated on the prayer. I wanted him to be all right, and I knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he _did_ become Castlevania's Master.

A sharp ringing noise erupted in my ears and I cried out as I was knocked backwards, flat on my back on the floor. I opened my eyes, only to squeeze them shut from the brightness of the energy. What was happening? Was Soma successful?!

Then, the ringing was gone as quickly as it came, and so was the light. I slowly sat up, unsure of what happened, but I quickly looked to Soma and Arikado. Soma looked horrible; he was breathing raggedly, and his complexion looked translucent. He also looked like he was in pain.

But Arikado…Arikado looked equally awful, but his hair was once again black. His body relaxed slightly, and his breathing was a little more even. "…Thank you," he said finally. "I haven't accessed my full powers in so long…I could hardly control them."

"Huh," said Hammer, helping him to stand up. "If you've only been operating on so _little_ of your real strength, I'd hate to see what you look like at full power!!!"

Arikado's lips turned up slightly, as though he might smile. "Yes, you would."

I rushed over to Soma, helping him to stand. "Are you all right?"

"…I will be after I'm out of here," he mumbled.

"Speak of which," said Chessa. She looked at her wrist, but saw it was bare. "Oh, right, I gave it to you!!!" she ran over to Soma and checked his watch. "Not every member of this cult is dead, but the key players are. That should be enough to stop them."

The room suddenly shook and I grabbed Soma's arm. "S-Soma?!?!"

"The castle's coming down!!!" shouted Julius. "We have to get out!!!"

"Here, I know where a portal is!!!" shouted Chessa. She ran towards an open doorway. "Follow me!!!"

We did, each of us running as fast as we could. Soma had so little energy now, and we had to drag him along with us. Arikado was a little more energized than we thought, given what he'd been through. Chessa pointed out a giant orb of light and we didn't think twice. We just ran at it.

It happened so quickly. One minute we were in Castlevania, the next we were consumed in light. Then…the light faded, and we stumbled onto the street.

I gasped and looked all around us. We were out!!! This was Tokyo!!! It was nighttime, but I didn't care. I still held onto Soma as I turned to look at the castle. It was crumbling like sand, the debris falling everywhere. But, nothing was damaged in its wake. It just fell apart, though I could hear horrible noises coming from it. Nobody else seemed to be fazed, though, just simply watching it come down.

Then…it was done. The menacing fortress was gone and faded into the night. For a moment we stood there and stared at the empty space where Castlevania use to be, the sounds of our breathing the only thing that could be heard.

*_HONK! HONK!_*

I cried out a spun around. We were standing right in the middle of the street, a taxi directly behind us. "S-Sorry!!!" I shouted, running for the sidewalk.

As we cleared the street, the taxi sped off. And more cars started passing us. I looked up and around and I saw the neon splendor of Tokyo light us all around us. People seemed to appear out of thin air, going about their business. Going home from work or out for a night of partying. It was all back to normal as if nothing that had happened over the past few days _had_ happened.

My knees felt rubbery and I collapsed to the ground. Soma tried to catch me, but he was still weak. We both tumbled to the sidewalk roughly, but neither of us seemed to mind.

"Are you okay?" he asked me.

I stared at him mutely for a moment. I felt it then. Joy began to swell in my chest and tears filled my eyes. "We…we did it, Soma. It's over. It's really over!!!"

Soma slowly nodded, smiling slightly. "The threat of this cult is over, surely. More forces lay out there, but the danger is gone for now. And…you're safe."

I threw my arms around him, unable to believe just how selfless he was. His life was a constant battle against evil and against Dracula, but he never thought of himself. Only for others!! But…it only made me love him more. "Thank you, Soma. Oh, thank you so much!!!"

"For what?" he asked me.

"Everything!!! I never would've gotten through this without you!!!"

Soma sighed heavily. "You never would've gone through this without me. But…you're welcome."

"So, when's the _big day_?" asked Yoko loudly.

"Eh?" I looked up to see most everyone looking at us with knowing eyes. To my growing embarrassment, I realized we were the focus of several other people on the sidewalk!!! I quickly released Soma. "What big day?"

"Don't be cute on us now, Mina!!!" laughed Hammer, walking over to smack Soma on the back. "You mean to tell us after everything your _white knight_ has done for you, you still won't get together with him?!?!"

"Get toget—" I covered my face in embarrassment. "Stop it!!!"

"Come on, Mina doesn't have to do anything!!" said Soma defensively. "I don't mind protecting her for free!!!"

Hammer started laughing hysterically. "Oh man, Soma!!! You ain't no Dark Lord, that's for sure!!! You ought to be nominated for _sainthood_!!!"

"S-Sainthood?!?!" sputtered Soma, hiding his face behind his own hand.

"He's certainly more couth than _you_," said Yoko blandly.

"Aw, don't be like that Yoko!!! I-I wasn't—"

"Am I wrong, or didn't you fake an injury to try and steal a kiss from me back in that safe haven? Or was that your doppelganger?"

"Hey!! I didn't hear you complain about it until now!! And who says '_couth_' anymore, anyways?!?!"

"Don't you two want to get married?" asked Chessa matter-of-factly. "You had no complaints those other two times you two tied the knot."

"I'm NOT having this conversation!!!!" I yelled, trying very hard to ignore the curious murmurings around us.

"Uh…guys?" said Julius suddenly. "Are those uniformed police officers, or is that just my imagination?"

"I'll leave this to you all," said Arikado. He stepped to the curb and hailed a cab. Before any of us could react he calmly climbed in and it quickly sped off.

"HEY!!!!" shouted Soma, jumping back to his feet. "Thanks for nothing!!!"

"Soma, is your energy back?" I asked suddenly, jumping up as well.

"Maybe anger's fueling it!!! Arikado did this to me in Burma once!!"

I gaped at him. "Arikado-san makes it a habit to grab a cab and bail on you?"

Soma snorted in disgust. "Only if we have some idiot tailing us—"

"I'm NOT an idiot!!!" shouted Hammer defensively. We both looked at him blankly.

"That's it, I'm hailing a cab too," fumed Julius. He managed to get one just as the police officers arrived to lecture us about our public behavior.

---

Out of that small mess, only Hammer was ticketed (much to his own displeasure). But, the absolute worst was over. Soma was right, though; defeating this one cult wouldn't stop others from springing up in its wake. But, he said he hoped it deterred these others from ever targeting me again.

Because I was who I was.

The Shrine…I was so afraid of how much time it would take for us to rebuild my home again. However, I was very surprised to see it standing again once we arrived home!!! The grounds were still broken in some places, but my house and the shrine were standing as though an earthquake had never destroyed them!!

"Mina!!!!!" Mom enveloped me in a tight hug. "Oh, Mina!!! You're alive!!! You're all right!!!"

"I'm glad to see you," I said, pulling away to look at her. "Mom…I remember everything."

Something flickered across her face. "Really?" she looked at Dad briefly and then looked at Soma. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I remember everything about Elisabetha and Lisa." I took a deep breath and let it out shortly. "And I know you both knew about it this whole time."

"Mina…" Dad walked over to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Yes, we did know. But we didn't keep it from you to hurt you. We knew that you would remember everything on your own, and we wanted to give you a life that wasn't in the shadows of two women. Of course, we never realized that one of these cults would deliberately target you. But we thought it was for the best." He paused before he continued. "I'm sorry, Mina. We both are."

I didn't feel like I was in either Elisabetha or Lisa's shadow. But I knew it was because I was allowed to grow as a person, even while in the dark about everything, and be Hakuba Mina. My _own_ person. "…Thank you, guys. I don't hate you for this."

Mom looked like she was ready to cry. "Mina…" she threw her arms around me once more.

Everyone stayed idle at the shrine for a few days and we managed to have a little fun without worrying about cult members or monsters. We even through a very belated New Year's celebration, mostly in part because we knew everyone had to go their separate ways, and we didn't know when the next time would be before we could be together again.

Still…it was still hard to see everyone leave. Yoko, Julius, Hammer, and Chessa all left on the same day, and not on the same flight. But it gave us ample opportunity to say goodbye to everyone.

"I told you I'm on the next flight out!!!"

Somehow, this one shout stood out from all the hustle and bustle in the airport. I froze in my tracks, even as everyone continued on by to security, and looked to my left.

"No, I didn't stick with them!!! Why?!?! Because that bitch blew up my hand instead of re-attaching it!!! Why in the hell should I owe any loyalty to someone like _that_?!?! No, she's dead. Yeah, Dracula killed her. No, he _wasn't_ revived!!"

It was Sixx-Bit, and he was yelling into a pay phone. His right arm was heavily bandaged and in a sling, a big wad of wrap around the area where his right hand had been. I almost felt sorry for him, except that he'd tried to kill me. But Carmilla blew his hand up? That was pretty cold.

"No, no, no, I'm not through," he continued to the person on the other line. "There's a small but incredibly more _stable_ group forming in Italy. I'm meeting up with them there. What, are you kidding?!?! I'll _never_ rest until Dracula's revived, but I sure as hell won't let Soma Cruz get away with what he's done to me!!!!"

A hand tapped my shoulder briefly. "I'll take care of this."

I looked up at Arikado. "What will you do?"

"I'll take care of it," he repeated neutrally. He gave me a light push to follow the others and then started advancing on Sixx-Bit. A knot formed in my stomach, but I didn't look back as I did what I was told. The other had gathered in front of security to say their final goodbyes.

"Well…until next time," said Julius. He gave Soma a firm handshake and me a small nod as he left to catch his plane to the United States.

"I should be back in the country in a few months," said Yoko. She flipped open her cell phone to check a few messages. "I have another job awaiting me in Brazil, but the Amazon is always so beautiful at this time of year. I might stay there a few days once I'm done."

"Need any company?!" asked Hammer, throwing an arm around her.

But Yoko sidestepped to avoid the arm, sending Hammer crashing to the floor. "As I recall, _you_ have a covert op. to be done in _Siberia_, correct?"

Even _I _couldn't help but wince at this. Siberia's weather was absolutely awful in wintertime.

Hammer grumbled forlornly as he picked himself up off the floor. "Can't I get a kiss then?"

Yoko ignored him and walked over to Soma. "It's been fun, and I'm glad you're still you." She gave him a light peck on the cheek. Hammer cried out in outrage and Soma's whole face turned red, but Yoko held onto her smile. "Stay in town for a little while and spend some time with Mina."

Soma mumbled something incoherent under his breath. Yoko gave me a quick hug as well. "Keep an eye on him, okay Mina?"

"Sure," I said, not quite sure how I should feel about her kiss. "It goes without saying."

"Well, as Julius said…until next time." She left to pass through security. Hammer didn't even say goodbye to us; he grabbed his bag and chased after Yoko, complaining about how she kissed Soma.

"MINA!!!!!" I was nearly knocked over by the body slamming into my back. "Mina, can I have your email address?!?!"

I gaped at Chessa for a long moment before giving it to her. She was back in her nun-esque outfit, which I could guess fit as the Ecclesia uniform. While _I _was plenty happy that this whole mess was over, Chessa seemed even more pleased than me to be out of reconnaissance, even for a short time.

Chessa punched my email address into her phone and turned to Soma. "Can I have yours, Soma?"

"I…don't really use it often," he said warily. "Even if you email me, I might not get back to you for a few months."

"Oh, that's okay!!! I'll just email you through Mina!!!" she positively smiled at me. "This has been the best job I've ever worked on, and it's thanks to you guys!!! It'd be a real shame if I didn't see you two again!!!"

"I might be back in Italy in March," said Soma. "So if—"

He was cut off as "Pomp and Circumstance" filled the small area. Chessa stiffened, as did I and I grabbed her hands. "Carmilla's still alive?!?!"

Chessa forced a brittle smile at me. "No…that's my _real_ boss." She quickly answered her phone and ran towards security, waving to us briefly, switching to Italian. "_Sì, imbarcare sull'aereo ora_—"

Soma and I stared after her in silence for a long moment. I glanced at him briefly. "She…must not like "Pomp and Circumstance", huh?"

"Most likely she doesn't like her bosses," he said dryly. "She's fluent in multiple languages, so I know she's smart. But she seems like a…bubble head to me."

I burst out laughing. "Soma, did you just say _bubble head_?!?!"

Soma gave me a sharp look. "So what if I did? That's what she is, isn't she?!"

I couldn't help but laugh harder. "T-That's always like you, Soma!!! Always making calls the way you see them!!!" I wiped at my eyes because tears had built up. "S-So…how do you see me?"

He seemed surprised by the question. Then, uncertain. And then very thoughtful. "You…seem deaf, don't you?"

"_Deaf_?!" I cried, feeling offended.

"You don't like to listen to suggestion, or reason. You let your heart guide you instead of your head, and that gets you—and _me_—into trouble."

"Huh." I folded my arms over my chest and narrowed my eyes at him. "Is that all?"

"Well…no." he seemed to be struggling with his words. "You're kind, very kind. And giving, too. You're not self-centered at all, and the only reason you even get into trouble is because of other people. Yet you just go with the flow, and you constantly hold the regard of others over yourself. You're mature, you always have been, and yet you know how to have fun."

I shrugged, my anger having softened by his flattery. "I hold the memories of a kind noblewoman and a giving doctor. They're bound to rub off on me."

"No." Soma walked over and cupped my cheek with his hand. "You're Hakuba Mina. You're your own person, and this is you. This is how I see you. It…" he stopped again and looked away.

"This is what you love about me?" I offered.

He looked back at me. "……Yes."

I smiled at him, and reached up to his hold hand to my cheek. "Soma…"

"So everyone has gone." We both jumped away from each other as Arikado approached. His face was neutral as always. "I have a few more days before I have to leave, and I know you're taking a well-deserved vacation, Soma. I'm glad you are, and if I see you floating around Europe in less than two weeks, you'll be sorry."

Soma laughed shortly, but I stepped forward. "Did you handle Sixx-Bit?"

"Sixx-Bit?!" asked Soma, suddenly on alert.

"Yes, he was here trying to catch a plane," said Arikado. "I took care of it." He blatantly left it at that, and I realized I didn't want to know anything more.

Soma shrugged and relaxed a little. "Huh…don't worry Arikado. I fully intend to enjoy this vacation."

"What do you guys feel like doing?" I asked, looking between the two of them.

Arikado's eyebrow rose slightly. "I will be sleeping for a few days. This battle has left an immense toll on my body. A few days rest will restore me."

"You're going to _sleep_ through your vacation?!?!"

"Yes." He glanced at Soma. "I'll see you around." Without another word he turned on his heel and walked away.

I looked at Soma. "I guess that leaves the two of us. Did you have any plans?"

Soma looked at me. I was surprised to see a bright smile break out on his face. "I want to spend it with _you_, Mina. After everything we've both been through, I want to stay by your side."

I returned the smile, even as my heart swelled in my chest. "I'm glad to hear it."

---

---

Romania was such a beautiful country. It's such a shame I didn't know…or rather, I _did _know. Dusk was approaching, but it was still a very warm July day.

It didn't bother me, though. Blisters could be forming on my skin and I'd still feel the same…this total happiness that hasn't faded.

I parked my rental car and got out. It was my own decision to do this alone, even though Soma had misgivings. But he was still so tired and needed some more rest.

And…it was still just the beginning of our honeymoon.

Two bouquets of white roses were sitting in the passenger seat. I gathered them into my arms and got out of the car. I looked at my surroundings, the silence almost eerie but I wasn't afraid. This was only a cemetery, after all.

I don't think I've seen so many tombstones in my life. Thousands upon thousands of tombstones, many filthy, cracked, or broken, lined the grass and extended out far beyond what I could see. Statues and Mausoleums stood out amongst their smaller counterparts, but I simply walked past them. It seemed almost impossible that this one cemetery held them, but the possibility became greater as I walked past graves. More kept springing up around me as I walked over hills and rounded corners. A person could almost get lost here, and my Romanian was still very shaky.

Still…I knew where to go. Arikado had told me before where they were, but somehow just by letting my feet guide me was enough to keep me on track.

Then I saw it. A rounded tombstone made of some sort of reddish stone. It was slightly unkempt, but not nearly as poorly as the others surrounding it. By comparison, most of the others were in pieces.

I held out one bouquet as I approached it. A feeling of unease began to form, but not because of an omen. This was her grave…_my _grave, after all.

I stopped in front of the grave and knelt down, placing the bouquet in front of it. "Hello, Elisabetha."

The lettering on the tombstone was broken and quite faded, but I could still read it measurably: _Elisabetha Cronqvist. 1064-1093. __Meu Dragoste , De-a pururi._

I traced the lettering idly. I was expecting Latin to be carved here, but it didn't seem to be the case. I still understood very little, but these words…it was a clear message. Meu Dragoste, De-a pururi…_My Love, Forever_.

I withdrew my hand. "This is very strange to come here like this. I suppose I have you to thank for everything that's happened. Sometimes I wonder if you still would've died if you hadn't married Mathias. Or if Mathias had not been so misguided in his love for you? I don't curse you, Elisabetha. Mathias and you just wanted to love each other and be together. It's just a shame you lived in a time where life was so…hectic.

"Thank you, though. So many terrible things came out of your death. Mathias became Dracula and many…many people died. But evil can't simply be blamed on one person. If it wasn't you or Mathias, then it would've been that Walter-person Mathias succeeded. And if none of this happened, I wouldn't be here. Or rather, I wouldn't be the person I am now. Most importantly…I wouldn't know Soma."

I bit my lower lip before I continued. "I love him and I want to be with him no matter what. Mathias was a good man and you made him a better man. And Lisa…she tried to save Dracula. Now I'm here, and Soma's here and he's not evil. I hope you can rest easy in knowing this." I looked up at the sky. "I'll take care of him. Life is so unpredictable, and Soma—more so, Dracula's spirit—needs to learn how to survive without me if I ever die before him again. But I'll teach him. I'll be there with him every step of the way and I'll make sure that no evil ever touches him."

I felt there was nothing else for me to say. I said a quiet Shinto prayer for Elisabetha before I stood back up. I wasn't quite done here yet.

I still had no problems finding the next spot, though I was taken off-guard by this gravestone. Unlike Elisabetha's simpler one, a statue of an angel stood in this spot. It looked like it was made of marble and it looked very fresh, considering the era in which it came from. Unsure that this was the right one, I looked for the name engraved on its surface:

_Lisa Farenheights Tepes. 1418-1450. The past is history. The future, a mystery.  
But we will hold dear our memories of her, her smile, the sound of her laughter...forever._

I squinted at the lettering in confusion. "English?" I shrugged it off and went to set my flowers down. I nearly did a double-take when I saw a massive bundle of colorful flowers sitting there already!! My white roses paled in comparison.

_Looks like someone beat me to the punch. And I have a feeling of who it is._ I set my flowers down beside these ones. "Hello, Lisa. I just visited Elisabetha. I've been thinking though, for a while. How hard all of this must've been on you. Carrying the memories of two women was difficult for me, but I have friends and family to support me. You only carried one woman's memories, but you did it alone. If you told anyone about it you could be condemned…the only ones you could rely on were Dracula and Alu—Adrian.

"You met a monster and you fell in love with him. He was salvageable at that time, and you nearly did it—but fate worked against you." I sat down in front of the statue. "I saw it though—your death as I saw Elisabetha's. I _lived _it, and I could…" Tears stung my eyes and I looked away. It took a long moment before I regained my composure. "I feel…well, Dracula turned on the human race because of your death. The same way he turned on God because of Elisabetha's death. But for the fact that you continued to have faith, in the people who condemned you and you gave freely of yourself to help others…I hope I become as strong as you were one day.

"I already said this to Elisabetha, so I'll say this to you; thank you. Thank you for existing and thank you for loving him. The love you gave him helped to shape Soma into the person he is now. And your son…h-he's a really great person, too!! I didn't know he was who he was at first, but now I can appreciate him even more!!"

I looked down at the other flowers. "And it looks like somebody else appreciates you, Lisa."

"I always bring flowers for her."

I jumped up at this new voice and turned around. "Arikado-san!!!" I ran over to him. "I didn't know you were in Romania!!!"

"I just came off a job," said Arikado. He looked me over quickly, his eyes resting on my left hand for a long moment. "I'd heard you two had gotten married, and I'm sorry I wasn't able to attend the ceremony."

"It wasn't much of a ceremony," I said. "We simply filed the necessary paperwork and had a party at my house. Nothing too major."

Arikado nodded to this. "That sounds like the two of you." he looked at Lisa's gave for a long moment. "Soma had said you wanted to pay your respects to them. I didn't realize it would be in this way."

"This is their homeland, and unfortunately their deaths caused heartache to a man who loved them." I looked down at my feet. "I do love Soma, Arikado-san. And I keep in mind what you told me that day. I…I try not to think of the what-ifs, you know? I don't like thinking about either of us dying, but it's always possible. But I am trying. Soma continues to grow as a person, and I know I can help him change somehow. He's perfect as he is, but my near-death proved you right. He _can't_ live without me, and he can't be a whole person unless he _can_ live without me."

Arikado reached out and patted me on the shoulder. "Don't worry. I believe you can do it. You've both come so far already as it is."

"Thank you." I looked back down at the colorful flowers alongside mine. "It's very sweet of you to keep thinking of your mother…Adrian."

His hand tensed on my shoulder, but he didn't correct me. "I love her dearly, Mina. Even now I can see a little of her in you." He removed his hand and turned slightly. "Many people I knew and fought alongside are buried here. Even as a cemetery, it holds many reminders." He looked at me over his shoulder. "Shall we head back now?"

I nodded and smiled. "All right."

I followed him past the headstones in the direction of my parked car. However, something caught my eye as we walked. I saw another colorful flower arrangement in front of a simple gray tombstone. The only thing was, these were the same type of flowers in front of Lisa's grave!!!

I stared at the grave for a long moment, and looked at Arikado, who noticed I had stopped. He called out to me, but I walked over to the grave to get a better look. In my mind, I was remembering the talk we had that day, when Arikado admitted to me that he _had_ been in love at one point in his life.

"_She was a spitfire, very sure of herself. She had her fair share of trauma throughout her life and yet it never touched her mentally. If she wanted something done she would do it, regardless of the situation. She also…she had a very caring nature to her. She seemed to know what I was thinking, what I was feeling…it made being around her, and in general around __people__, much easier."_

"Is this her?" I asked, hearing him come up behind me. "Is this the woman you loved?"

"…Yes," he said, though he said the word plainly. "My mother molded me with the ideals I have now, but…I am who I am now because of _her_." he reached out and smoothed a hand over the top of the tombstone.

My heart tightened and I looked at him. "It must have been so hard to lose her…"

"It was," he admitted. "But she accepted me knowing we could never truly be together. And I…I knew I had immortality, and she didn't. I knew what would happen by accepting her into my life, and yet I couldn't deny her." He paused before he continued. "It was very hard for me, but she gave me several years of peace and happiness. I can carry that with me for as long as I shall exist."

"Is that how you can live without her? Remembering the good times without regret?"

"That is how _I _cope," he agreed. "But Soma is a different person. Merely being with you in happiness won't be enough for him. It is your job to teach him more."

"And I will."

"I know." Arikado held his hand on the grave for a moment longer before removing it. "Soma will get worried if you don't get back soon."

"I know." I stared at the grave for another long moment before turning away. Even as I reached my car, the name of the woman who gave Arikado his life back, and the message detailed on her grave, still stuck with me.

_Maria Renard. 1780- 1848. Thank You._

---

It was dusk when we got back to the small inn Soma and I were staying at. An overwhelming feeling of peace came over me as we walked by the small dining area, hearing the quiet chatter. Not too many tourists came to this region, I knew, but this is where we came from, originated from. I'd wanted to see it, and so did Soma.

"How often do you come back here?" I asked Arikado.

"Once a year at the most," he answered. "Most times my schedule is so full I only have time to visit my mother. I can stay a few more days before I have to leave again."

"I'm glad to hear it." I looked into the dining room, trying to spot Soma. It was nearly dinner time, so I assumed he'd be getting something to eat.

"He's probably still upstairs," said Arikado, though he turned towards the dining room. "That last job took quite a toll on him."

"…Yeah," I said quietly. It was this last job too, that Soma got the idea that we had to marry. Our relationship had been up in the air at that point. We were more than friends but almost awkward boyfriend and girlfriend. I don't know who said that friends make the best lovers, because very little changed between us during the past few months.

Then this new job happened. And then we got married.

"I'll go check on him," I said, smiling slightly at Arikado.

Arikado didn't quite smile at me, but his expression wasn't quite so neutral anymore. "All right…Mrs. Cruz."

I headed up the stairs, but hesitated in front of the door. It was hard to picture myself as a strong person, but I knew Soma was counting on me.

Everyone was counting on me.

I entered the room quietly, noting the darkness inside. "Soma?" I called out.

"I'm here," he answered me. He was stretched out on the bed, an arm thrown over his eyes. "Did you go to the cemetery?"

"Yes, and I met Arikado-san there." I closed the door behind me and went over to him. I climbed into bed and curled up by his side. "How are you feeling?"

"…Tired," said Soma. "But wonderful. I've never felt better." He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me closer.

I rested my head on top of his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart. "We're here for the next two weeks. What would you like to do?"

"Hmm, I don't know. See the countryside and relax, I guess. I just hope some fanatics don't show up and try to revive Castlevania here…"

"Don't jinx us, Soma." I smiled a little up at him. "We'll make the most of this, okay? You don't have to worry about any jobs while we're here."

Soma was silent for a long moment. When he spoke, it took me off-guard. "Maybe we shouldn't have gotten married."

"What?" a wave of fear suddenly took me. "But why?! We're happy, aren't we? And we wanted to get married!!!"

"It won't be easy being married to me, Mina," he said. "I'm not going to be home a lot. If we start having kids I won't be around them. And you're going to become a greater target than you were before."

I shrugged. "I was a target anyways, Soma. Whether it was because of my reincarnations or the fact that I was your closest friend, people were targeting me. And I don't mind waiting around for you. I get worried a lot for you, and I know you go off saving the world because you think you need to repent. But I'm proud of you, and I'm not going anywhere. Getting married really hasn't changed anything, other than the fact that we're legally bound to one another. Don't regret being married to me, Soma, because _I_ have no regrets."

He stared at me for another long moment of silence. "I don't regret marrying you, Mina. If I had any doubts I wouldn't have asked you in the first place. I'm just…worried, that's all."

"Well, don't worry so much about me. I'm here, aren't I?" I hugged him tightly. "And while I can't guarantee that I'll be alive tomorrow, I love you Soma. And no matter what I want you to be happy."

"……I love you, too." He hugged me just as tightly. "And I want _you_ to be happy, too. You've had to suffer enough all this time to be denied happiness."

"Me? You're the one shouldering a terrible burden, Soma. I don't think there's anybody on Earth deserves happiness more than you."

"Thank you, Mina." He leaned over and kissed me on the top of my head. "Have you…dreamt of them recently?"

"No."

"Mina—"

"No, I'm serious. After I relived their deaths, the dreams of them came to me less and less often. I haven't dreamt of them in nearly two months."

"Hmm…" Soma looked up at the ceiling. "Maybe it's because you've come full circle…"

"Maybe. And…and I hope it helps you, too."

"I'm all right—"

"I know you are, Soma. But I know you've been hurting for so long. I'm here with you, and so you don't have to feel the hurt. But…I'm not the only one. We have so many friends around us who can help you anyway they can. That way…" I faltered and closed my eyes. It wasn't easy to think of what could happen if I died right now. I'd already seen what happens to Soma when I die.

"I understand," said Soma. "And I'm grateful to all of you for everything. Most especially you, Mina."

"Thanks." A thought came to me and I tried not to laugh. "Did you see the wedding present Chessa sent to us?"

"Do you mean the plush toy of the bat?" Soma snorted. "She has a weird sense of humor. But it doesn't even compare to Hammer's."

This time I _did_ laugh. "Yes, the washer and dryer he bought in the United States…with _plugs_ only used in the United States!!!!"

"Yeah. The hell Yoko gave him over that was funny."

I laughed again. "We really do have great friends…"

"Yeah." Soma smiled a little. "We're very lucky to have them. And…I'm lucky to have you."

"Thank you, Soma." I leaned over and kissed him on the mouth. It's so funny how marriage can change perspectives. We use to be so shy around each other, trying to ignore the signs of our feelings for each other. But now… "_We're_ lucky…after all this time, we have a chance."

---

We were out early the next morning to explore. Soma had wanted to check out the little shops around, which took me off-guard. _I_ was the one a little more in tune with shopping. But I walked around the square as he waited in line at one of the shops to by something.

That was when I saw it.

It was right in the center of the square. A line of rope quartered it off, but there was no sign posted. I couldn't help but gape as I approached it, my heart hammering inside my chest.

It was a tree. But not just any tree. I _knew_ this tree. I knew the bed of grass circled around it, even though it was much smaller than before. And the tree…it was _old_, the braches looked brittle and the leaves lacked the life once held on there.

But it was the same tree. Elisabetha sat underneath this very tree when she first spoke to Mathias.

I bypassed the rope, ignoring the stares I received, and ran my hand alongside the bark. Even if I hadn't dreamt of Elisabetha and Lisa in a while, my vision hummed with memories. Oh, even the trunk felt the same!! It was a blessing that this area of Romania was touched very little by the advances of technology. This tree had to be over a thousand years old and yet it still stood tall. The meadow that surrounded it was long gone, but _this_ spot was still here.

I pressed my back against the trunk and slid to the ground, closing my eyes. I could almost picture the sunshine, the green grass, and the cobblestone of the village walls not too far away. It was all here…

"_Milady?"_

My eyes snapped open and I straightened. Soma was standing in front of me, holding a grocery bag in his hand. "Mina?" he said. I realized that he'd called my name before, and yet what I'd heard was Mathias, not him.

I let out my breath and smiled. "Are you finished, Soma?"

"For right now." He walked over to me, looking at the tree curiously. "Do you like this tree?" His brow furrowed slightly. "It looks familiar to me…"

"Of course it is," I said, brushing off my clothes as I stood up. "This is where everything began."

Understanding flickered across his face and he smiled. "I see…"

Yes, this is where everything began. And everything would continue from here. For Soma and for me, because we loved each other. Life was so unpredictable, but I wouldn't live in fear. Throughout all these centuries, as Elisabetha and as Lisa my life belonged with him…and it always will.


End file.
